Legislature(2021 - 2022)GRUENBERG 120
04/16/2021 08:00 AM House LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB87 | |
| HB145 | |
| HB149 | |
| HB125 | |
| Alaska Workers' Compensation Board | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 87 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 145 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 149 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 125 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 145-EXPAND PHARMACIST AUTHORITY
8:12:56 AM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced that the next order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 145, "An Act relating to the Board of
Pharmacy; relating to health care services provided by
pharmacists and pharmacy technicians; and relating to the
practice of pharmacy."
8:13:11 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SNYDER reminded the committee that the proposed
legislation is intended to clearly define the patient care
services that can be provided by pharmacists. She noted that
the COVID-19 pandemic particularly highlighted those services,
and that HB 145 would help ensure regulation by the Board of
Pharmacy as well as contain a component ensuring reimbursement
by insurance providers. She noted Representative Kaufman's
concern regarding the term "general health and wellness,"
expressed during the April 12, 2021, meeting of the House Labor
and Commerce Standing Committee, which she said would be
addressed during this hearing.
8:14:20 AM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS opened public testimony on HB 145.
8:14:32 AM
ANGELA JAGLOWICZ, PharmD, testified in support of HB 145, noting
that she is a practicing primary care pharmacist and certified
diabetes education specialist. She described working directly
with primary care providers (PCPs) in caring for patients with
chronic diseases, ensuring that medications are employed to
provide the best possible health outcome for the patient. She
pointed out that the care she provides is easily accessed and
provides continuity of care while freeing up the schedules of
busy PCPs for more urgent situations. She said that as a result
of ongoing visits, her patients are able to develop the
knowledge needed to manage their own health care more
effectively.
8:16:19 AM
DAN NELSON, PharmD, Director of Pharmacy, Tanana Chiefs
Conference, testified in support of HB 145, noting that the
COVID-19 pandemic required an "all hands on deck" situation for
healthcare professionals. He characterized pharmacists as some
of the most accessible healthcare professionals and that they
have rapidly responded to Alaska's healthcare needs. He urged
the committee's support for HB 145.
8:17:35 AM
JAY FLYNN, MD, testified in support of HB 145, explaining that
doctors can't always get to patients with lifesaving vaccines.
He said pharmacists' contribution allows the medical community
to have a stronger impact in the Norton Sound area.
8:18:56 AM
KYLIE GOFF testified in support of HB 145. She said that the
medical community relies heavily on the expertise of
pharmacists, who have been leaders in organizing child
immunizations and well-child checkups. She said that the impact
of pharmacists is felt more in communities with a shortage of
primary care providers.
8:21:17 AM
BARRY CHRISTENSEN, RPh, Legislative Committee Co-Chair, Alaska
Pharmacists Association, testified in support of HB 145. He
noted the changes within the profession in recent decades and
said today's pharmacists are in a better position to help meet
their patients' pharmaceutical needs. In order for community
pharmacies to survive and serve patients, he said, the statutory
language in HB 145 is necessary.
8:23:05 AM
NATALIE MCCAY testified in support of HB 145. She said she is a
certified pharmacy technician and expressed that the proposed
legislation would be especially important to rural and
underserved areas such as Petersburg. Pharmacists are often the
first stop when patients have questions, she said, and allowing
pharmacists and their support staff to provide certain health
care services would increase access to health care.
8:24:01 AM
DOUGLAS BARTKO testified in support of HB 145. He discussed the
problem of claim rejection experienced by pharmacists, saying
they need to be paid for the services they provide.
8:25:43 AM
JUSTIN RUFFRIDGE, PharmD, testified on behalf of the Board of
Pharmacy in support of HB 145.
8:26:21 AM
MARK BOHRER, RPh, Pharmacy Practice Coordinator, Fred Meyer,
testified in support of HB 145 as the supervisor of all Fred
Meyer pharmacy locations in Alaska. He said he has practiced
pharmacy in Alaska for 31 years and described how pharmacists
have "stepped up" during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing
testing and vaccinations.
8:27:55 AM
DIRK WHITE, RPh, testified in support of HB 145. He expressed
that the practice of pharmacy has changed in the past 35 years
and statutes need to evolve into the new century. He said his
pharmacy has started offering strep tests and COVID-19 tests but
because he and his employees are not classified as medical
providers, they're not able to bill insurance companies and are
forced to charge patients directly. Passage of HB 145, he said,
would improve the profession and allow pharmacists to increase
access to healthcare in all parts of Alaska.
8:30:24 AM
TALETHIA BOGART testified in support of HB 145. She shared that
she is in her 3rd year of pharmacy school and previously was a
high school science teacher and pharmacy technician. She said
she understands the shortage of health care services in Alaska
and that she believes HB 145 would alleviate some of those
issues, primarily in primary care settings. She said that she's
being prepared to handle many areas of health care including
primary care, critical care, emergency medicine, and community
pharmacy, and pointed out that she's seen firsthand the impact
of her training in remote communities. She said she's
participated in COVID-19 vaccine clinics, administering hundreds
of vaccines and providing general health care information.
8:33:00 AM
JACOB JORDAN testified in support of HB 145. He shared that he
is a pharmacy student in his third year, having previously
served nine years in the military after graduating from the
United States Military Academy at West Point. He described the
intense training to become a Doctor of Pharmacy, including four
years of education on medication use, safety, and monitoring,
with a focus on chronic disease management, health and wellness
support, and providing preventative health services in a
community setting. He said he's required to have over 2,000
hours of clinical experience, culminating in his clinical
training during his fourth year in the program, as well as three
years of classroom-based training. Students within the program
have taken independent healthcare initiatives, he said, with his
class training over 60 volunteers each year to assist in
community health care. He said HB 145 would help modernize
Alaska's pharmacy practice statutes and resolve longstanding
regulatory issues, thereby allowing patients more access to
pharmacy healthcare services.
8:35:09 AM
MARGARET SODEN, RPh, testified in support of HB 145. She
pointed out how pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy
students helped during the COVID-19 pandemic. She described
some of the changes in the profession since she took her
licensing exam in 1965, when the practical exam tested how well
one could fold papers for containing powder. She said that all
areas of medicine, including pharmacy, have become more
sophisticated and it's important to empower the Board of
Pharmacy to recognize the changes.
8:37:00 AM
KAREN MILLER, RPh, testified in support of HB 145, sharing that
she's been a pharmacist at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital for 27
years. She described helping with hospice, long-term care, and
patient discharges, noting that oftentimes the pharmacist is in
the background ensuring direct and affordable drug therapy. She
said pharmacists often struggle to get reimbursement and that
she believes HB 145 would be beneficial.
8:38:24 AM
AMY TAUL testified in support of HB 145, sharing that she is the
clinical faculty pharmacist at Providence Family Medicine
Center. She said that the primary resource for treatment is
medication, and medical school graduates often receive only one
semester of pharmacology. She described supporting physicians
and patients through medication and chronic disease management,
working alongside physicians to assist in choosing the
appropriate medication. She talked about working directly with
patients in general health care and disease management, often
counseling patients and making the appropriate recommendations.
Utilizing clinical pharmacists, she said, would make physicians
available to treat more patients.
8:41:36 AM
SUSAN WHEELER, PharmD, testified in support of HB 145, sharing
that she is a pharmacist at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health
Corporation. She said that pharmacists are fully integrated
with other healthcare professionals but are unable to receive
compensation for their services due to the absence of their
ability to enroll as billing providers. She said pharmacists
are often the most readily available healthcare professionals,
but are the only providers not currently listed in the provider
anti-discrimination statute, meaning they do not receive the
same compensation as another professional providing the same
service. She said the lack of compensation makes it difficult
to sustain and provide the services pharmacists are qualified to
provide, which may prevent patients from obtaining needed
healthcare.
8:43:32 AM
RENEE ROBINSON, PharmD, testified in support of HB 145, sharing
that she is an associate professor at the University of Alaska
Anchorage/Idaho State University College of Pharmacy. She
described her extensive experience working with underserved
populations. She said HB 145 would resolve longstanding
regulatory issues that impede progress while supporting Board of
Pharmacy oversight.
8:45:34 AM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS, after ascertaining that no one else wished to
testify, closed public testimony on HB 145.
8:45:59 AM
CO-CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ moved to report HB 145 out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.
There being no objection, HB 145 was reported out of the House
Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.