02/15/2001 01:30 PM Senate L&C

                     ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                   
                 SENATE LABOR & COMMERCE COMMITTEE                                                                            
                         February 15, 2001                                                                                      
                             1:30 p.m.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Randy Phillips, Chair                                                                                                   
Senator Alan Austerman                                                                                                          
Senator Loren Leman                                                                                                             
Senator John Torgerson                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bettye Davis                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 38                                                                                                              
"An Act relating to a new optional group of persons eligible for                                                                
medical assistance who require treatment for breast or cervical                                                                 
cancer; and providing for an effective date."                                                                                   
     MOVED SB 38 OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SB 38 - See Labor and Commerce minutes date 2/01/01.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
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ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
TAPE 01-5, SIDE A                                                                                                             
Number 001                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  RANDY   PHILLIPS  called  the  Senate  Labor   &  Commerce                                                          
Committee  meeting  to order  at  1:30 p.m.  Present  were  Senators                                                            
Torgerson,  Austerman, and Phillips.   The committee took  up SB 38.                                                            
Senator Leman arrived at 1:31 p.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
          SB 38-MEDICAL ASSISTANCE:BREAST/CERVICAL CANCER                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR TORGERSON moved SB 38 from committee with individual                                                                    
recommendations and its accompanying fiscal note.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR LEMAN  stated that he asked representatives  of the Division                                                            
of Insurance to  look at a proposal he has been thinking  about.  He                                                            
is concerned that SB 38  is a piecemeal approach to health care and,                                                            
while he is sympathetic  to those who need this type of coverage, he                                                            
believes there  are better ways to solve the problem.   The Division                                                            
of Insurance was  unable to provide all of the information  he asked                                                            
for in  this timeframe  so,  although he  intends to  pursue a  more                                                            
comprehensive  solution, he recognizes  it will be a challenge.   He                                                            
felt it is appropriate  to move SB 38 out of committee  at this time                                                            
and he will "catch up" with it in the next committee.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  PHILLIPS said he  shares Senator  Leman's thoughts  on the                                                            
bill.  He  announced, with  no objection, the  motion to move  SB 38                                                            
from committee carried.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
There being no further business to come before the committee,                                                                   
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS adjourned the meeting at 1:33 p.m.