Legislature(1999 - 2000)
04/05/2000 01:37 PM Senate HES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE
April 5, 2000
1:37 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Mike Miller, Chairman
Senator Pete Kelly, Vice-Chairman
Senator Gary Wilken
Senator Drue Pearce
Senator Kim Elton
MEMBERS ABSENT
None
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 80(CRA)
"An Act relating to contracts for the provision of state public
assistance to certain recipients in the state; providing for
regional public assistance plans and programs in the state;
relating to grants for Alaska Native family assistance programs;
and providing for an effective date."
-MOVED CSSB 80(HES) OUT OF COMMITTEE
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 297(STA)(title am)
"An Act relating to the circumstances under which an ambulatory
surgical facility may relocate its services without obtaining a
certificate of need and relating to the subsequent use of the
site from which the ambulatory surgical facility relocated; and
providing for an effective date."
-MOVED CSHB 297(STA)(title am) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION
SB 80 - See Community and Regional Affairs minutes dated 3/8/99
and 3/17/99.
HB 297 - No previous Senate action.
WITNESS REGISTER
Representative Jeanette James
Alaska State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of HB 297
Elmer Lindstrom
Special Assistant
Department of Health and Social Services
PO Box 110601
Juneau, AK 99811-0601
POSITION STATEMENT: DHSS has no objection to HB 297
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 00-15, SIDE A
Number 001
CHAIRMAN MILLER called the Senate Health, Education and Social
Services (HESS) Committee to order at 1:37 p.m. Present were
Senators Elton, Wilken and Miller.
SB 80-PUB.ASSISTANCE:PROGRAMS/GRANTS/CONTRACTS
CHAIRMAN MILLER announced that a proposed committee substitute,
labeled version "G," had been prepared which contains changes
requested by the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS).
SENATOR WILKEN moved to adopt the proposed committee substitute.
There being no objection, the motion carried.
SENATOR ELTON moved CSSB 80(HES) out of committee with individual
recommendations and its zero fiscal note. There being no
objection, the motion carried.
HB 297-AMBULATORY SURGICAL FACILITIES
REPRESENTATIVE JEANETTE JAMES, sponsor of HB 297, stated the
version before the committee [CSHB 297(STA)(title am)] is quite
different from the original version. After a lot of discussion
in House committees, a solution to the immediate problem of
raising the $1 million floor was found. The new version simply
allows relocation of a health care facility to a new site in the
same community without a certificate of need as long as there is
no increase in the services offered. It also disallows use of
the vacated site for another health care facility without a
certificate of need, notwithstanding the $1 million floor.
SENATOR WILKEN asked Representative James if the problem that
prompted this bill originated in Fairbanks.
REPRESENTATIVE JAMES replied the real problem is in Anchorage but
there is a presumed problem in Fairbanks as well. This bill will
fix the Anchorage problem but does not address the situation in
Fairbanks. A facility in Anchorage wishes to relocate two blocks
away. The facility size will remain the same but doctors'
offices will be built in the parking lot. Previously, moving a
facility was allowed without a certificate of need as long as
services were not expanded. But, another facility in Anchorage
moved and afterward the existing facility was replaced by another
health care facility under the $1 million cap, therefore services
were expanded. DHSS could not allow the requested relocation
without a certificate of need. This bill will allow DHSS to
permit the new relocation without a certificate of need. She
has made a commitment to continue to study this issue further
during the next year to find out what can be done to solve these
problems throughout the state.
CHAIRMAN MILLER noted that Senators Pearce and Kelly were
present. He stated it is his intent to pass this legislation out
of committee today and that he has always supported the repeal of
the certificate of need however, considering the short amount of
time available left in the session, a repeal is not possible this
year. He said the legislature raised the limit to $1 million in
1983.
SENATOR WILKEN asked whether CSHB 297(STA)(title am) has any
further committees of referral.
CHAIRMAN MILLER said it will go to the Rules Committee.
SENATOR WILKEN asked that a representative of DHSS comment on HB
297.
MR. ELMER LINDSTROM, Special Assistant to Commissioner Perdue at
DHSS, said DHSS has no objection to the bill as presented today.
To his understanding, an existing ambulatory surgical center with
a certain set of capabilities wants to relocate with the same set
of capabilities. This bill would allow that to occur without a
certificate of need for the replacement facility. Commissioner
Perdue shares Representative James' belief that it is worthwhile
to review the underlying certificate of need law. Last year, the
Long Term Care Task Force put in place new and very appropriate
standards for long term care facilities and nursing facilities
and review the certificate of need. This bill contains the old
standards which apply to acute care facilities. Times have
changed. The old standards contain definitional problems that
are worth further discussion.
SENATOR PEARCE moved CSHB 297(STA)(title am) from committee with
individual recommendations. There being no objection, the motion
carried.
CHAIRMAN MILLER announced that HB 191 would be heard next Monday,
as well as the confirmations to the Alaska Mental Health Trust
Authority and the Board of Regents. There being no further
business, he adjourned the meeting.
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