Legislature(2009 - 2010)BUTROVICH 205
02/08/2010 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SCR12 | |
| SB215 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SCR 12 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 215 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 215-PIONEERS HOME RX DRUG BENEFIT
CHAIR DAVIS announced consideration of SB 215.
2:00:15 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI, sponsor of SB 215, said this bill came
about after months of discussions between state and federal
agencies, veterans' advocates, and members of the legislature,
who sought to reinstate federal prescription benefits for about
a dozen of the Alaska Pioneer Home residents. Although only
about a dozen veterans were impacted last year, the veteran
population grows each year, and this bill will ensure that the
residents of the Alaska Pioneer Homes will continue to receive
their federal prescription drug benefits for years to come.
He explained that in April 2009, veterans who were residing in
Alaska Pioneer Homes and were unable to administer their own
medications stopped receiving the free or low-cost medications
to which they were entitled through the Veterans Administration
(VA). These veterans were then forced to purchase the same
medications from the Pioneer Home's pharmacy. The Pioneer Home's
pharmacy prepares medications in blister-packs so nurse aides
can administer them to the patients safely and accurately; the
VA prepares medications in bottles and cannot provide
medications in blister-packs. VA doctors cannot write
prescriptions to Pioneer Homes' pharmacies, because the Pioneer
Homes are outside the VA system, and the Pioneer Homes cannot
repackage VA medications because the lot numbers and expiration
would change upon repackaging, which is currently not allowed
under state law. The Pioneer Homes were previously placing
veteran medications in Monday through Sunday Medisets, but that
was determined to be unsafe; the concern was that pills from the
VA often look different from those sold by the Pioneer Home
pharmacies, and it would be difficult to determine if the pills
had been taken or removed from the set due to a dosage change.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI continued that these veterans were caught
up in the middle of a bureaucratic mix-up between state and
federal policies. This resulted in a combined effort between the
Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), the Pioneer
Homes, the Veterans Administration. Veteran Advocates, and
several members of the legislature who were previously
mentioned. A solution was found. The Pioneer Homes involved all
interested parties to determine the appropriate protocol for
ordering, receiving, storing, administering, and disposing of
medications. The Alaska VA health care system and the regional
office chief pharmacist and chief of staff conducted in-service
visits to the Pioneer Homes to ensure nurses are properly
administering medications directly from original VA bottles.
What this bill does, he said, is ensure that the struggles many
people went through last summer to resolve the problems, don't
have to be repeated in the future. It says that the Pioneer
Homes should continue to do things the way they are doing them
now; if the Pioneer Homes identify a safety precaution that
prevents them from disbursing medications as they are doing
currently, the state-run Pioneer Homes will cover the cost of
the medications. It is his understanding however, that the
Pioneer Homes do not anticipate any changes to what they are
currently doing, and thus this bill has a zero fiscal note. SB
215 prevents the need to recreate the wheel and ensures that
individuals who have earned federal prescription benefits will
continue to receive their benefits even in the face of future
administrative staffing changes.
2:04:26 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI said this bill is supported by the Vietnam
Veterans of America, who made it one of their top legislative
priorities in Alaska for 2010, and by the Director of the Office
of Veterans Affairs.
2:05:11 PM
DAVE COTE, Director, Alaska Division of Pioneer Homes, Juneau,
Alaska, said they are neutral on this bill. SB215 has a zero
fiscal note and should have no impact because they are allowing
veterans who are eligible to receive medications from the VA, or
residents of Pioneer Homes who are eligible to receive
medications through Indian Health Service, to obtain those
medications and bring them into the Pioneer Homes, where the
medications will be administered by their staff.
2:05:52 PM
RIC DAVIDGE, President, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA);
Chair, Municipal Commission on Military and Veterans Affairs,
Anchorage, Alaska, said he was delighted when the members of the
legislature of both the House and the Senate came together and
called meetings to find a way out of this maze. He specifically
thanked Senator Wielechowski, Representative Dahlstrom and
Representative Gara and their staffs for stepping up and
following through with this. SB 215 has the total support of the
Vietnam Veterans of America; they have sent a copy of this bill
and the House bill to their national office, as other states are
facing the same kind of problem and are interested in Alaska's
solution.
2:07:14 PM
SENATOR ELLIS thanked Mr. Davidge for his involvement in this
bill and for his work on behalf of Alaska's veterans.
2:07:33 PM
CHAIR DAVIS closed public testimony.
2:07:55 PM
SENATOR DYSON commented that only government can be so foolish,
and he appreciates his colleagues for working to resolve this
problem.
2:08:38 PM
SENATOR PASKVAN moved to report SB 215 from committee with
individual recommendation(s) and attached zero fiscal note(s).
There being no objection, SB 215 moved from the committee.
2:09:26 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Davis adjourned the meeting at 2:09 p.m.
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