04/16/2002 10:34 AM Senate RLS

CHAIRMAN  PHILLIPS  announced  that  the committee  would  hold  a                                                              
substantive hearing on HB 411-PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HUGH FATE,  sponsor  of HB  411, informed  members                                                              
that  he  introduced  the  measure at  the  request  of  physician                                                              
assistants.  When  the  health  provider  statutes  were  enacted,                                                              
physician assistants  were simply admitted  at that time  but they                                                              
were not  given the same standards  as other health  providers. HB
  will enable  physician assistants  to do  several things.  As                                                              
providers they  will be  allowed to  authorize license  plates for                                                              
the disabled.  They will be put  under the insurance  programs for                                                              
malpractice  insurance  and be  able  to receive  funds  disbursed                                                              
under  health   insurance  programs.  They  will   have  the  same                                                              
opportunities  regarding  insurability.  He  pointed out  that  in                                                              
House committee hearings,  he was asked if HB 411  will impact the                                                              
general  fund. It will  not. The  uniform code  of schedules  pays                                                              
physician  assistants  about 85  percent  of  the amount  paid  by                                                              
Medicaid or  Medicare to a physician.  HB 411 will have  no impact                                                              
on that amount.  He noted that physicians' assistants  now provide                                                              
health care in many  areas in rural Alaska yet they  must still be                                                              
under the supervision  of a physician. HB 411  will merely provide                                                              
parity for physician assistants with other health providers.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN   PHILLIPS   acknowledged   the   presence   of   Senator                                                              
Therriault. He then took teleconference testimony.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. SHARON  HOLT, chief fiscal  officer of the  Sunshine Community                                                              
Health Center, Talkeetna, stated  wholehearted support for HB 411.                                                              
She  said that  the  center has  four physician  assistants  whose                                                              
services are  critical to  the communities  served by the  center.                                                              
Because  the current  state  statute  does not  include  physician                                                              
assistants  in  the list  of  health  care providers,  the  center                                                              
periodically  has  its billings  for  medical services  denied  by                                                              
third  party payers.  That  represents  a significant  barrier  to                                                              
health care for individuals with  health insurance, as well as the                                                              
clinic's ability to maximize potential  revenues, particularly for                                                              
small,  rural health  clinics. She  urged members'  support of  HB
.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR.  JIM  WOJCIEHOWSKI,   President  of  the  Alaska   Academy  of                                                              
Physician Assistants, urged members  to expedite the passage of HB
. He noted  that Representative Fate's overview  was excellent:                                                              
HB 411 corrects  an oversight in the original  statute. He pointed                                                              
out that physician assistants were  relatively new to the state 20                                                              
years ago but are now the sole providers in many rural areas.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. MARY  MARSHBURN, Director of  the Division of  Motor Vehicles,                                                              
commented that Section 3 of the bill  adds physician assistants to                                                              
the list  of health care providers  who can sign  disabled parking                                                              
permits. She believes that is a good addition to the bill.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR.  ED HALL,  member  of  the Academy  of  Physician  Assistants,                                                              
stated  support for  HB 411  and its  companion bill,  SB 265.  He                                                              
believes  the   measure  will   diminish  patient  barriers   with                                                              
insurance.  He encouraged members' support.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HALFORD  moved to  calendar HB  411 with its  accompanying                                                              
fiscal  notes  at  the  Chairman's   discretion.  There  being  no                                                              
objection, the motion carried.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
There being no further business to come before the committee,                                                                   
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS adjourned the meeting at 10:54 a.m.