HB 152: "An Act establishing a program in the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development for payment of grants to health care providers for care of patients who are 65 years of age or older."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 152 01 "An Act establishing a program in the Department of Commerce, Community, and 02 Economic Development for payment of grants to health care providers for care of 03 patients who are 65 years of age or older." 04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 05 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 06 to read: 07 SHORT TITLE. This Act may be known as the Alaska Medical Care for Seniors Act. 08 * Sec. 2. AS 18.28 is amended by adding a new section to read: 09 Article 2. Grants for Seniors' Medical Care. 10 Sec. 18.28.200. Medical care for seniors grant program. (a) A grant 11 program is established in the department to assist in the provision of primary medical 12 care for seniors by health care providers in the state. 13 (b) Subject to the availability of funding, the department shall award grant 14 funding in an amount determined by the department to an eligible health care provider.
01 (c) The department shall adopt regulations to carry out the program 02 established in this section. The regulations must be consistent with federal law and 03 include 04 (1) an application and award procedure; 05 (2) eligibility standards that include the lack of availability to the 06 applicant of reasonable compensation for services; 07 (3) adequate proof that a grant is necessary to enable the applicant to 08 provide increased primary care services to seniors; 09 (4) a priority for the award of a grant to a health care provider located 10 in an area in which other health care providers have refused to treat patients who are 11 65 years of age or older and that serves a high percentage of medically underserved 12 populations as determined by the commissioner of health and social services; 13 (5) a priority for the award of a grant to a health care provider who can 14 demonstrate the greatest increase in service for the lowest grant amount; 15 (6) other requirements necessary to carry out the program. 16 (d) The department may not award a grant under this section for the provision 17 of primary medical care services if the services are received by a person who has 18 public or private insurance coverage that adequately compensates an applicant for the 19 provision of those services, as determined by the department in consultation with the 20 Department of Health and Social Services. 21 (e) To the extent permitted by law, the department may enter into agreements 22 with and shall consult with the Department of Health and Social Services in 23 implementing this section. 24 (f) In this section, 25 (1) "department" means the Department of Commerce, Community, 26 and Economic Development; 27 (2) "health care provider" means a physician, osteopath, physician 28 assistant, nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or chiropractor licensed in 29 the state and qualified to provide primary care services; 30 (3) "seniors" means residents of the state who are 65 years of age or 31 older.
01 * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 02 read: 03 REVISOR'S INSTRUCTION. The revisor of statutes shall substitute "AS 18.28.010 - 04 18.28.100" for "this chapter" in AS 18.28.040, 18.28.050, and 18.28.100.