04/07/1998 05:10 PM House RLS

CSSCR 14(FIN) - PARITY FOR MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE                            
                                                                               
Number 338                                                                     
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN KOTT announced the committee would hear CSSCR 14(FIN),                
"Establishing the Alaska Task Force on Parity for Mental Health,"              
sponsored by the Senate Health, Education and Social Services                  
Committee.  He noted there is a proposed CS, Version Q.  He                    
referred to page 2, line 30, and said it changes the members from              
two to one member representing the Alaska Mental Health Board.  On             
page 3, line 1, a new "(5)" has been inserted.  He read, "one                  
member representing the state Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug            
Abuse appointed by the Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug                   
Abuse;".                                                                       
                                                                               
Number 349                                                                     
                                                                               
WALTER MAJOROS, Executive Director, Alaska Mental Health Board,                
came before the committee to testify.  He informed the committee               
that it was his organization and about 13 other consumer, provider             
and state organizations that initially brought forth the                       
legislation.  He stated the resolution establishes a task force to             
study the issue of parity in health insurance practices for mental             
health versus physical health.  Mr. Majoros said the sad reality is            
that nine out of ten insurance policies, nationally, treat mental              
health differently than physical health in insurance practices and             
policies.  He stated that this usually means less coverage and                 
often no coverage at all for mental illnesses.  The resolution                 
establishes a task force that has representation of the                        
legislature, in terms of minority and majority members from the                
House and Senate.  It includes insurance representatives,                      
representatives from the state, consumers and providers.  They                 
would look at the issue.  He noted that there is also passed                   
federal legislation to look at the impact of the federal                       
legislation in ways it can be enhanced at the state level.  Forty-             
five states, nationally, have either put parity legislation on or              
are considering state legislation at this time.  He informed the               
committee that the resolution passed the Senate unanimously.                   
                                                                               
MR. MAJOROS explained the one area of debate at the Senate level               
had to do with the issue of substance abuse and whether it should              
be included as part of the scope and whether there should be                   
representatives from the substance abuse field and consumers that              
should be on the task force.  He said it was the feeling of the                
Senate Health, Education and Social Services Committee (HESS) that             
substance abuse should be removed from the slate.  He said what                
they have done since that time is achieved a compromise position of            
having a single member on the task force that would be appointed by            
the Governor's Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.  It                
would take away a position from the Alaska Mental Health Board.  He            
said that he has discussed that with Senators Wilken and Green, who            
were the two people that initially didn't want substance abuse                 
included.  He said he has gotten their verbal concurrence.  Mr.                
Majoros said he feels everybody is pretty much satisfied with the              
current version of the bill.                                                   
                                                                               
Number 392                                                                     
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON made a motion to adopt HCSCSSCR 14(RLS),                  
Version Q.  There being no objection, HCSCSSCR 14(RLS) was adopted.            
                                                                               
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON made a motion to move HCSCSSCR 14(RLS) out of             
committee with the attached zero fiscal note.  There being no                  
objection, HCSCSSCR 14(RLS) moved forward.