Legislature(2003 - 2004)

05/19/2003 08:03 AM Senate L&C

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
                                                                                                                                
          CSHB 195(L&C)am-STATE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CON  BUNDE called  the Senate  Labor and  Commerce Standing                                                             
Committee meeting  to order  at 8:03  a.m. Present  were Senators                                                               
Stevens,  Seekins  French and  Bunde.  The  Chair announced  CSHB
195(L&C)am to be up for consideration.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GARY STEVENS  moved to  adopt SCS  CSHB 195(L&C).  There                                                               
were no objections and it was adopted.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BUNDE explained that the  committee substitute (CS) removed                                                               
all  the  language about  the  optional  programs that  had  many                                                               
people  concerned and  leaves some  language that  allows federal                                                               
funding.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. HEATHER NOBREGA, staff to  Representative Rokeberg, said that                                                               
was correct.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BUNDE asked  about the language on page  2, subsection (b),                                                               
which  discusses people  who are  not eligible  for coverage.  He                                                               
asked  for  an  explanation  of  the  statement  "including  self                                                               
insured plans, health care trusts and welfare trusts".                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS.  KATIE  CAMPBELL, Life  and  Health  Actuary, explained  that                                                               
section is language from existing law.  It was used because it is                                                               
an eligibility requirement that  was misplaced under "Exclusions"                                                               
in  the  initial legislation.  If  someone  is eligible  for  the                                                               
federal programs  under the  federal law, that  person has  to be                                                               
let into the plan.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. MICHELLE  CASSANO, President, American  Diabetes Association,                                                               
said  she is  very concerned  about what  would happen  with this                                                               
coverage if someone  opts out of chronic-disease  coverage and is                                                               
then diagnosed.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  BUNDE  explained that  all  of  the optional  language  in                                                               
section  1 was  deleted from  the committee  substitute that  the                                                               
committee just adopted.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. CASSANO responded that she  would not comment further in that                                                               
case, but would be a resource for the committee.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS. LAURA SARCONE, Alaska  Nurse Practitioners' Association, said                                                               
deleting section 1 took care of  her concerns also. She wanted to                                                               
make  sure that  reimbursement for  nurse midwifery  coverage for                                                               
obstetrical care was not made optional.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BUNDE affirmed that language was gone.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR SEEKINS moved to pass  SCS CSHB 195(L&C), version V, from                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations  and attached  fiscal                                                               
note.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATORS STEVENS,  FRENCH, SEEKINS  and BUNDE  voted yea  and SCS                                                               
CSHB 195(L&C) moved from committee.                                                                                             

Document Name Date/Time Subjects