03/10/2022 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

           SB 175-HEALTH CARE SERVICES BY TELEHEALTH                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:41:37 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR   WILSON  reconvened   the   meeting   and  announced   the                                                               
consideration  of  SENATE  BILL  NO.  175  "An  Act  relating  to                                                               
telehealth;  relating to  the practice  of medicine;  relating to                                                               
medical assistance coverage for  services provided by telehealth;                                                               
and providing for an effective date."                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:41:42 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON opened public testimony on SB 175.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:41:58 PM                                                                                                                    
POLLY-BETH ODOM,  representing self, Palmer, Alaska,  stated that                                                               
she provides  case management services for  adults who experience                                                               
long-term mental  illness and traumatic  injury in  Anchorage and                                                               
the  Mat-Su Valley.  She spoke  in support  of SB  175. She  said                                                               
telehealth  provides an  alternative  to  in-person services  for                                                               
people  without  reliable  transportation.   She  noted  that  in                                                               
January  2022,  the  Mat-Su   Valley  experienced  a  devastating                                                               
windstorm that caused her to  close her brick-and-mortar business                                                               
[Daybreak]. She  had to turn  to telehealth to  provide continued                                                               
services quickly.  She was able  to help people connect  to their                                                               
behavioral   health  providers.   She  offered   her  view   that                                                               
telehealth is an  essential tool in behavioral  health. She urged                                                               
members to support SB 175.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:43:25 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BEGICH  thanked his high  school classmate for  coming to                                                               
Juneau to testify.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:43:55 PM                                                                                                                    
JON  ZESEDA, Policy  Integration  Director,  Alaska Primary  Care                                                               
Association,  Anchorage,  Alaska,  stated that  Alaska  Community                                                               
Health Centers asked him to convey  their support for SB 175. The                                                               
vast majority of health centers  operate using a team care model,                                                               
where the  provider, nurse, care  coordinator, lab,  and pharmacy                                                               
can be involved  in a telehealth visit. He related  that they had                                                               
used chronic disease  telehealth calls as a  gateway for strongly                                                               
encouraging patients to  come to the clinic to follow  up on labs                                                               
and  other  services.  He  offered   support  for  the  range  of                                                               
modalities  that  include  audio  only  and  the  flexibility  to                                                               
introduce future modalities. Patients  who currently experience a                                                               
lack of bandwidth  and other challenges have  grown accustomed to                                                               
accessing care over the phone.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. ZESEDA stated  that many Alaskans had  used telehealth during                                                               
the   pandemic,  especially   receiving  care   from  home   when                                                               
necessary. He strongly encouraged members to pass SB 175.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:45:35 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR REINBOLD stated that she  doesn't want Alaskan physicians                                                               
undermined.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:45:59 PM                                                                                                                    
MR.  ZESEDA responded  that  the vast  majority  of providers  in                                                               
Alaska provide  services at federally-qualified  Community Health                                                               
Centers, providing primary care  services in the communities they                                                               
serve.  He explained  that APCA  was primarily  focused on  pain,                                                               
parity,  telehealth modalities,  and patients  and on  providers'                                                               
ability  to  work  flexibly  and   not  just  within  the  clinic                                                               
building.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:46:53 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR REINBOLD asked for the name of the movement.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. ZESEDA answered that Community  Health Centers are federally-                                                               
qualified health centers in Alaska.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  WILSON asked  how many  Community Health  Centers were  in                                                               
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
JON  ZESEDA  answered that  29  organizations  operate 220  sites                                                               
across the state.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR REINBOLD asked for a list of the sites.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:47:51 PM                                                                                                                    
JESSICA  ESTES,  Member,   Advanced  Practice  Registered  Nurses                                                               
(APRN) Alliance, Anchorage,  Alaska, spoke in support  of SB 175.                                                               
She  stated  that  she  is  a  psychiatric  mental  health  nurse                                                               
practitioner. She  said that her  current role is serving  as the                                                               
Chief  Nursing Officer  at  Alaska  Behavioral Health,  [formerly                                                               
Anchorage  Community Mental  Health Services].  She related  that                                                               
telehealth  presents an  opportunity  for  providers to  maintain                                                               
continuity  of care.  She  highlighted that  SB  175 would  allow                                                               
APRNs to serve clients no matter  where they reside in Alaska and                                                               
for  patients with  limited ability  to come  to the  clinic. She                                                               
emphasized the importance  of telehealth for those  in hospice or                                                               
seeking mental health services.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:49:23 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON closed public testimony on HB 175.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:49:24 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:50:47 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  WILSON  reconvened   the  meeting  and  held   SB  175  in                                                               
committee.