Legislature(2023 - 2024)BUTROVICH 205
04/16/2024 03:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB17 | |
| SB219 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 17 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 219 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 17-CONTRACEPTIVES COVERAGE:INSURE;MED ASSIST
3:34:13 PM
CHAIR WILSON announced the consideration of CS FOR HOUSE BILL
NO. 17(HSS) am(efd fld) "An Act relating to insurance coverage
for contraceptives and related services; and relating to medical
assistance coverage for contraceptives and related services."
CHAIR WILSON stated SB 27 was the companion bill to HB 17.
3:35:09 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ASHLEY CARRICK, District 35, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of HB 17 said she would
provide an overview of HB 17 as it is the companion bill to SB
27 which the committee had already heard. She reiterated that HB
17 is an insurance bill mandating coverage for up to 12 months
of prescription contraceptives to be dispensed at one time. She
clarified that providers can already prescribe a 12-month
supply, and HB 17 preserves the provider's prerogative to make
that decision. The bill aims to address access issues at the
pharmacy counter by ensuring insurance coverage for
prescriptions already issued by providers. She emphasized that
the legislation helps reduce unintended pregnancies and supports
responsible family planning.
3:36:50 PM
CHERIE BOWMAN, Staff, Representative Ashley Carrick, Alaska
State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, Provided a summary of changes
for HB 17 version A to B:
[Original punctuation provided.]
House Bill 17
Summary of Changes Version A to Version B
"An Act relating to insurance coverage for
contraceptives and related services; relating to
medical assistance coverage for contraceptives and
related services; and providing for an effective
date."
Page 1, line 10
Following "contraceptives;", inserts "and".
Page 1, lines 11-14
Deletes Section 1(a)(B): "emergency contraception,
including over-the-counter 12 emergency contraception,
approved by the United States Food and Drug 13
Administration; the insurer may not require a
prescription for coverage of 14 over-the-counter
emergency contraception under this subparagraph; and"
and reletters the following subparagraph accordingly.
Page 7, line 2 Following "dispensing;", inserts "and".
Page 7, lines 3-6
Deletes Section 6(c)(2): "emergency contraception,
including over-the-counter emergency contraception,
approved by the United States Food and Drug
Administration; the department may not require a
prescription for coverage of over-the-counter
emergency contraception under this paragraph; and" and
renumbers the following paragraph accordingly.
3:37:43 PM
At ease
3:38:27 PM
CHAIR WILSON reconvened the meeting.
3:38:31 PM
MS. BOWMAN said she would discuss the explanation of changes for
HB 17 from version B.A to U.
3:38:42 PM
At ease
3:38:52 PM
CHAIR WILSON reconvened the meeting and opened public testimony
on HB 17.
3:39:23 PM
SONIA KUMAR, representing self, Juneau, Alaska, testified in
support of HB 17. She shared her experience as a former seasonal
worker in remote national wildlife refuges, often relocating
every three to six months. She stated that having access to a
full year of birth control during fieldwork would have been
immensely helpful, as remote locations often lack access to
doctors or pharmacies. Missing a month of birth control
disrupted her hormones and posed challenges. She emphasized that
many seasonal and remote workers in Alaska, especially during
summer, would greatly benefit from the ability to obtain a full
year's supply of birth control.
3:40:17 PM
ROSE TITUS, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, testified in
support of HB 17. She emphasized the importance of HB 17,
particularly for Alaska's rural villages, where regular medical
care and mail delivery can be unreliable, sometimes delayed for
weeks due to weather. She noted that consistent access to
medications is crucial to avoid potential side effects caused by
gaps in availability. She highlighted that even in cities,
pharmacy stocking issues complicate access to medications, with
delays lasting days, weeks, or months, and unexpected pharmacy
closures adding to the challenges. She stated that this
legislation could improve patient care statewide.
3:41:54 PM
CHAIR WILSON closed public testimony on HB 17.
3:42:01 PM
CHAIR WILSON solicited a motion.
3:42:05 PM
CHAIR TOBIN moved to adopt the senate committee substitute (SCS)
for CSHB 17(HSS) am(efd fld), work order 33-LS0222\U, as the
working document.
3:42:17 PM
CHAIR WILSON objected for purposes of discussion.
3:42:24 PM
MS. BOWMAN provided the explanation of changes for HB 17,
version B.A to U:
SCS CS HB 17 (HHS): CONTRACEPTIVES COVERAGE: INSURE; MED. ASSIST
EXPLANATION OF CHANGES
Version B.A to Version U
The Senate Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for
House Bill 17, version U, makes the following changes:
• On page 3, lines 19 - 26, under newly added Section 2,
version B.A. added language to clarify religious exemptions. On
page 3, lines 14-21, the CS includes this language under Section
1 and removes the reference to "a person's health care" and
focuses the legislation on health care insurance coverage
regarding contraceptive methods. This change was requested by
the bill's sponsor.
MS. BOWMAN stated the change was made due to a legal memorandum
that Representative Carrick's Office received, which was
distributed to committee members.
3:43:13 PM
At ease
3:45:18 PM
CHAIR WILSON reconvened the meeting and stated Senator Giessel
arrived.
3:45:30 PM
MS. BOWMAN continued her summary of changes HB 17, version B.A
to U and referring to the first change added that legal guidance
believed the original provision was too broad. The next two
changes were requested by the Department of Health:
• On page 7, lines 22, 25, 29, 31, under Section 8, regarding
the conditional effective date, the CS removes the references to
Section 6 and replaces them with the correct references to
Section 7.
• On page 7, line 26, the CS changes the conditional
effective date from January 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026.
3:46:47 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL stated that on HB 17, version U, page 7, still
references Section 6 under conditional affects three times. She
found reference to Section 7. She asked if she was missing
something.
3:47:54 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK asked for clarification on which page and
section Senator Giessel was referencing.
3:48:00 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL stated she found the reason for her confusion.
3:48:08 PM
SENATOR DUNBAR stated his belief that Senator Giessel was
correct, and an error existed. He moved on and asked for
clarification on the changes made to HB 17 from version A to B
in simpler terms. He noted the removal of emergency
contraception and inquired if that was the most significant
substantive change.
3:48:57 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK replied yes, that in layman's terms HB
17, version U, removed emergency contraception language. On the
floor of the House an adopted amendment added religious
exemption provisions, which is reflected in version B.A. After
speaking with legislative legal version B.A was broader in
intent than religious exemptions for employers or insurers based
on contraceptive method. The language passed on the floor was
broad enough to cover all healthcare coverage. Therefore, the
language was tightened to reflect the correct intent.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK clarified that religious exemption
language already exists at the federal level. She explained that
the additional state-level language was intended to ensure
alignment and duplicity should federal provisions change. She
noted that legislative legal staff worked to maintain the spirit
and intent of the amendment adopted on the floor without
broadening its original purpose.
3:50:43 PM
SENATOR DUNBAR stated that the substantive changes between HB
17, version A to B, included the removal of emergency
contraception, and between version B to U, the refinement of the
religious exemption. He noted that other changes were technical,
leaving version U largely unchanged from the version previously
reviewed by the committee. He asked if this assessment was
accurate.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK replied that is correct. The other
changes were requested by the Department of Health.
3:51:18 PM
CHAIR WILSON stated he would bring another committee substitute
before the committee after drafting corrections are made by the
legal department.
3:51:46 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK opined that drafting was correct and her
office would make corrections to the summary of changes.
CHAIR WILSON said they could review the issue.
3:52:02 PM
CHAIR WILSON removed his objection.
3:52:10 PM
CHAIR WILSON found no further objection and SCS CSHB 17(HSS)
am(efd fld) was adopted as the working document.
3:52:22 PM
CHAIR WILSON held SCS CSHB 17(HSS) am(efd fld), as amended in
committee.
3:53:09 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK thanked the committee for hearing HB 17.