02/19/2020 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

            HB 29-INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR TELEHEALTH                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:31:31 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON  announced the consideration  of HOUSE BILL  NO. 29,                                                               
"An  Act relating  to insurance  coverage  for benefits  provided                                                               
through telehealth; and providing for an effective date."                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
He  noted there  had  been  a discussion  about  an amendment  on                                                               
parity  pay   but  that  was   deemed  unnecessary.   He  invited                                                               
Representative  Spohnholz and  Lori  Wing-Heier to  speak to  the                                                               
issue of pay parity.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:32:51 PM                                                                                                                    
LORI WING-HEIER,  Director, Division of Insurance,  Department of                                                               
Commerce, Community and  Economic Development (DCCED), Anchorage,                                                               
Alaska, stated that this bill  was heard numerous times last year                                                               
and  the issue  of pay  parity never  come up.  She had  not seen                                                               
concern about  parity from  the providers  until last  week. Most                                                               
providers have negotiated agreements that  would take care of the                                                               
concern of parity.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:33:28 PM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE IVY  SPOHNHOLZ, Alaska State  Legislature, Juneau,                                                               
Alaska, said  that based on Director  Wing-Heier's recommendation                                                               
and after consultations with insurers  and providers, she decided                                                               
not  to ask  for  an  amendment to  address  parity because  that                                                               
allows the market flexibility to be  able to negotiate on a case-                                                               
by-case  basis around  rates. That  will allow  for collaboration                                                               
and innovation on ways to reduce  health care costs. Later on, if                                                               
there are problems with parity, the legislature can address it.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WILSON noted that the  Division of Insurance recommended an                                                               
effective date change. He solicited a motion.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:34:37 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR VON IMHOF moved to adopt Amendment 1, A.3:                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                               31-LS0274\A.3                                                                    
                                                        Marx                                                                    
                                                     2/18/20                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                              AMENDMENT 1                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
    OFFERED IN THE SENATE              BY SENATOR VON IMHOF                                                                     
     TO: HB 29                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 15:                                                                                                           
          Delete "July 1, 2020"                                                                                                 
          Insert "January 1, 2021"                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:34:42 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  WILSON objected  for  purposes of  discussion  and for  an                                                               
explanation of the change.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS.  WING-HEIER said  her division  discussed with  the sponsor's                                                               
office the  need for  an extended effective  date because  of the                                                               
forms  and  filings   that  have  to  be  made.   Under  the  ACA                                                               
(Affordable  Care  Act),  the division  cannot  amend  the  forms                                                               
midyear. Forms are filed in the  spring for an effective date the                                                               
following  January. The  timeframe for  when insurers  could make                                                               
this effective needs  to be reasonable. The  individual market is                                                               
very  strict about  when the  forms are  filed and  the effective                                                               
date.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:35:41 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON  removed his  objection and  there being  no further                                                               
objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:35:58 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON solicited a motion.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:36:03 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  VON  IMHOF moved  to  report  HB  29, as  amended,  from                                                               
committee  with  individual  recommendations and  updated  fiscal                                                               
notes.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:36:18 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON found  no objection and SCS HB  29(HSS) was reported                                                               
from the Senate Health and Social Services Standing Committee.