03/09/1998 03:22 PM House L&C

SB 122 - INS.COVERAGE:MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPIST                              
                                                                               
Number 0046                                                                    
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG announced the committee's first order of business            
would be SB 122, "An Act relating to unfair discrimination under a             
group health insurance policy for services provided by marital and             
family therapists; and providing for an effective date."  He                   
requested only new testimony on SB 122, stating it was his                     
intention to move the bill out of committee.                                   
                                                                               
Number 0088                                                                    
                                                                               
DIXIE HOOD, Board Member, Marital and Family Therapy Board;                    
licensed marital and family therapist, came forward to testify.                
She commented she had made some clarifying notations on the                    
insurance company denial form she submitted at the March 2, 1998,              
hearing, in response to questions raised.                                      
                                                                               
Number 0126                                                                    
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG directed the committee's to the additional                   
information the March 9 memorandum.                                            
                                                                               
Number 0169                                                                    
                                                                               
PAT CLASBY, licensed marital and family therapist, came forward to             
testify.  She stated she represented the Alaska Association for                
Marriage and Family Therapists.  She referred to two questions                 
posed at the previous hearing:  1) what insurance companies do                 
cover marital and family therapists, 2) what insurance companies do            
not.  She noted they have done a very informal survey on some of               
the private practitioners in the Anchorage area, speaking with                 
their billing clerks.  She noted this information was not complete,            
but thought it might give the committee a better understanding of              
the actual practice.                                                           
                                                                               
Number 0230                                                                    
                                                                               
LARANE DERR, Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association                
(ASHNHA), came forward to testify.  She stated the ASHNHA supports             
the current version of SB 122 before the committee, noting the bill            
has been amended and unamended.                                                
                                                                               
Number 0269                                                                    
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG confirmed the unamended version was currently                
before the committee.  He asked Ms. Kreitzer if it was correct that            
the Senate wished the bill to be moved as it is.                               
                                                                               
ANNETTE KREITZER, Legislative Assistant to Senator Loren Leman,                
answered in the affirmative                                                    
                                                                               
Number 0321                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE TOM BRICE made a motion to move HCS SB 122(STA) with            
individual recommendations and zero fiscal note.                               
                                                                               
Number 0340                                                                    
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG asked if there were any objections.                          
                                                                               
Number 0347                                                                    
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE BILL HUDSON objected for discussion purposes.  He               
confirmed this was Version K of SB 122.                                        
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE BRICE noted that was his understanding.                         
                                                                               
SHIRLEY ARMSTRONG, Legislative Assistant to Representative Norman              
Rokeberg, stated this was the version that came through.                       
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE HUDSON removed his objection.                                   
                                                                               
Number 0365                                                                    
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG stated, there being no objections, HCS SB
(STA) was so moved.