Legislature(2025 - 2026)DAVIS 106
04/10/2025 03:15 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB151 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 151 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 151-MEDICAL ASSISTANCE: CHILDREN UNDER AGE 6
3:49:51 PM
CHAIR MINA announced that the only order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 151, "An Act relating to continuous eligibility
for medical assistance for children under six years of age; and
providing for an effective date."
3:50:12 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MEARS moved to adopt the proposed committee
substitute (CS) for HB 151, Version 34-LS0571\N, A Radford,
3/29/25, as a working document.
CHAIR MINA objected for the purpose of discussion.
3:50:50 PM
ALYSE GALVIN, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor,
presented HB 151. She stated that HB 151 would mitigate
unnecessary disruptions in access to care for children receiving
Denali Kid Care. She said that HB 151 would guarantee
continuous eligibility for children under the age of 6. She
explained the difference between the original bill version and
HB 151, Version N. She stated that the language in the original
version of HB 151 incorporated federal laws, while Version N
more accurately ensures that the state can use all tools
available to it.
3:54:01 PM
LACEY MATULA, Staff, Representative Alyse Galvin, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Galvin, prime sponsor,
presented the sectional analysis of HB 151 [hard copy included
in the committee file], which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
Section 1-
This section will ensure that children under six do
not lose their Medicaid Benefits due to re-evaluations
or other administrative processes, providing
continuous coverage for them until they reach six-
years-old.
Section 2-
This section outlines the necessary permissions and
approvals from the United States Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS) to make the changes in
Medicaid coverage happen. If the state does not get
approval, the changes won't take effect.
Section 3-
This section will ensure that the new rule will only
be implemented if the state gets approval from the
federal government. It also sets a timeline for
notifications, making sure that the change will only
happen after federal approval is granted.
Section 4-
This section ensures that the change won't take effect
until the federal government has officially approved
it, which might take time.
3:58:15 PM
CHAIR MINA removed her objection. There being no further
objection, Version N was before the committee.
3:58:49 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE asked what the process of reapplying for
annual reauthorization would look like.
3:59:43 PM
DEB ETHERIDGE, Director, Division of Public Assistance,
Department of Health, described the difference between
reapplication and recertification. She said that a
recertification occurs when an individual has been receiving
benefits, while a reapplication occurs when there has been a
break in coverage.
4:00:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE asked if an annual phone call was
required for changes in coverage.
MS. ETHERIDGE responded that DOH will do all possible to renew
an individual's coverage for them, without having to send them a
renewal form. She said that when needed, she will call families
to complete a renewal form over the phone.
4:01:34 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MEARS asked about how to reenroll families when
it is difficult to contact them.
MS. ETHERIDGE responded that during the pandemic individuals did
not lose their Medicaid coverage because they were automatically
reenrolled. However, that made it very difficult to reenroll
many individuals as DOH did not have every individual's current
contact information.
REPRESENTATIVE MEARS noted that HB 151, Version N, would reduce
those administrative burdens for children in Denali Kid Care
moving forward.
4:04:03 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY thanked the sponsor for bringing forward a
"common sense" bill. He asked how common it is for children
between ages 0-6 to lose their Denali Kid Care and how many
children would benefit under HB 151, Version N.
MS. ETHERIDGE responded that children in foster care remain
eligible for Denali Kid Care. She stated that 31,648 children
ages 0-6 are currently covered. She said that she does not have
the exact numbers right now to answer his questions.
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY asked if HB 151, Version N, would benefit
enough children so that the Division of Public Assistance would
see a tangible impact.
MS. ETHERIDGE responded that HB 151, Version N, would avoid a
procedural closure for children who do still need Denali Kid
Care, as they cannot self-advocate.
4:06:50 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE asked if HB 151 would require parents to
contact the state if their children no longer qualify for Denali
Kid Care.
MS. ETHERIDGE responded that DOH requires a notice of change for
major changes to a family, which might affect their eligibility
for coverage, and this also includes children covered by Denali
Kid Care.
4:08:09 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GALVIN asked about how to avoid situations where
patients receive coverage from both their employer and Medicaid.
MS. ETHERIDGE responded that Medicaid is the payer of last
resort. She said that the primary payer would be the insurance
company of the employer.
4:09:12 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked approximately how many children
aged 0-6 are currently on Denali Kid Care.
MS. ETHERIDGE responded that 31,648 children aged 0-6 are
currently covered.
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked how many children aged 0-6 are in
the State of Alaska.
MS. ETHERIDGE responded that she does not have that information
currently available.
REPRESENTATIVE GALVIN said that approximately 10,000 children
are born each year in the state.
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked if the number of children on
Denali Kid Care typically fluctuates much.
MS. ETHERIDGE responded that she would need to gather that
information.
4:11:02 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY said that parents typically self-disclose if
they have insurance other than Medicaid. He said that there is
no benefit to not disclosing that information.
4:11:57 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SCHWANKE asked how many children on Denali Kid
Care are receiving Medicaid benefits as a primary or third-party
insurance.
4:13:06 PM
TRICIA SKITT, Operations Manager, Division of Health Care
Services, Department of Health, responded that she could look
into gathering that data, but she can share data from fiscal
year 24 regarding the percentage of Medicaid costs being
utilized.
4:14:05 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked when the last state plan
amendment approval was for authorizing continuous eligibility
and what that process looks like.
MS. ETHERIDGE responded that it is a long process. She said
there are a few state plan amendments DOH must make to
accommodate a change in an application.
REPRESENTATIVE GALVIN responded that she does not know how long
this process has taken in other states.
MS. ETHERIDGE responded that the change in continuous
eligibility from 0-12 was a state plan amendment and that
process can take anywhere from 180 days to one year.
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked if 1115 waivers expire.
MS. ETHERIDGE responded that they typically expire after five
years.
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked further about the expiration of
1115 waivers.
MS. ETHERIDGE responded that generally those waivers continue as
needed and are renewed every five years.
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked if the extension of coverage to
individuals post-partum was under an 1115 waiver or a state plan
amendment.
MS. ETHERIDGE responded that the extension was under a state
plan amendment.
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE asked why DOH would employ an 1115
waiver in this scenario, rather than a state plan amendment.
MS. ETHERIDGE responded that that is a question for the federal
government.
4:19:00 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY said that sometimes receiving 1115 waivers
from the federal government is expedient.
MS. ETHERIDGE responded that some state plan amendments can
happen rather quickly, but some things take longer than others.
4:20:06 PM
CHAIR MINA announced invited testimony on HB 151, Version N.
4:20:15 PM
TREVOR STORRS, President & CEO, Alaska Children's Trust,
testified in support of HB 151, Version N. He said that the
bill would ensure that children aged 0-6 have access to the
resources they need to thrive. He explained that HB 151,
Version N, would benefit children, families, and the state by
investing in its youth. He emphasized that coming on and off
Medicaid creates an unnecessary burden to the state, and
unnecessary barriers to the individual patient.
4:24:33 PM
TAMAR BEN-YOSEF, Executive Director, All Alaska Pediatric
Partnership, testified in support of HB 151, Version N. She
said that more than half of children in Alaska are covered by
Medicaid, and any gap in coverage can have negative impacts on
children. She emphasized that health issues that are treated
later rather than earlier cost more for Medicaid and that early
intervention is vital. She also highlighted the reality of many
seasonal workers, whose income may increase and decrease
throughout the year, whose children would benefit from
continuous coverage. She also noted that many other states have
already enacted similar legislation to HB 151 and that Alaska
should follow suit.
4:28:33 PM
JACOLINE BERGSTROM, Executive Director, Health Services, Tanana
Chiefs Conference, testified in support of HB 151. She provided
an overview of the work Tanana Chiefs Conference and other
tribal health services engage in and the communities they serve.
She said that in her region, 57 percent of all children qualify
for Medicaid, while even higher percentages of children qualify
in more rural communities. She said that Alaska Native
populations have health disparities compared to the general
population. Ms. Bergstrom stated that other states that have
implemented continuous Medicaid coverage for children have
experienced a decrease in administrative burdens, and Alaska
could expect these same results under HB 151.
4:36:03 PM
CHAIR MINA asked about the cost-savings related to continuous
eligibility that other states have experienced.
MS. MATULA responded that she can find and provide information
on those savings for the committee.
[HB 151, Version N, was held over.]
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