04/13/2010 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 168(FIN)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     "An   Act   relating   to   state   certification   and                                                                    
     designation of trauma centers; creating the trauma                                                                         
     care fund to offset trauma care provided at certified                                                                      
     and designated trauma centers; and providing for an                                                                        
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman noted  the committee  heard the  companion                                                                    
bill, SB 168 on March 10.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  JOHN COGHILL,  SPONSOR, said  the sponsor  from the                                                                    
House would explain the bill.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  BOB HERRON,  SPONSOR,  related  that HB  168                                                                    
would  create  a  trauma care  fund  which  could  reimburse                                                                    
trauma   centers  for   uncompensated  or   undercompensated                                                                    
services  and create  incentives  for  becoming a  certified                                                                    
trauma center.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Coghill related  the purpose  of the  bill to  give                                                                    
incentives to hospitals to raise  their level of designation                                                                    
for  trauma.  The  request  is  for  $2.5  million  and  the                                                                    
authorization to  go after disproportionate share  money. He                                                                    
spoke  of  a 50  percent  match.  He  said the  approach  is                                                                    
incentive driven, which works best in Alaska.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:50:54 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Ellis MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 1:                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 13                                                                                                            
     Following "AS 18.08.082(c)" insert "that is a higher                                                                       
     level than a designation received by the center in the                                                                     
     preceding fiscal year."                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman OBJECTED for discussion purposes.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senator Ellis voiced support for  the bill. He explained the                                                                    
amendment  would require  hospitals to  show improvement  in                                                                    
the level of trauma care to be eligible for the funds.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  asked if the  bill sponsor  was supportive                                                                    
of the amendment. Senator Coghill said he was.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Thomas understood  that  there  was a  professional                                                                    
organization that  designates the  various levels  of trauma                                                                    
care.  Senator  Coghill  explained  that it  is  a  national                                                                    
organization  that   entails  a  rigorous   examination  and                                                                    
review.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:53:06 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Stedman  WITHDREW   his  OBJECTION   to  adopting                                                                    
Amendment 1. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman reviewed  the two  zero fiscal  notes, one                                                                    
from the  Department of Health  and Social Services  and one                                                                    
from the  Department of  Revenue. There  is also  one fiscal                                                                    
note from  the House  Finance Committee reflecting  the need                                                                    
for  $2.5 million  in general  funds to  match $2.5  million                                                                    
from federal funds.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
WILLIAM  STREUR,  DEPUTY  COMMISSIONER, DIVISION  OF  HEALTH                                                                    
CARE  SERVICES, DEPARTMENT  OF HEALTH  AND SOCIAL  SERVICES,                                                                    
introduced himself.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
WILDA  LAUGHLIN, LEGISLATIVE  LIAISON, DEPARTMENT  OF HEALTH                                                                    
AND SOCIAL  SERVICES, reported that the  department supports                                                                    
the legislation, but is neutral on the fiscal note.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:55:42 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DR.  FRANK SACCO,  ALASKA TRAUMA  SYSTEMS REVIEW  COMMISSION                                                                    
(via  teleconference), shared  information about  the Alaska                                                                    
Trauma  System. He  said that  trauma is  a huge  problem in                                                                    
Alaska and is the number two  cause of death. Alaska has the                                                                    
second highest  trauma rate in  the country.  Evidence shows                                                                    
that trauma centers  decrease mortality by 15  to 25 percent                                                                    
for  those seriously  injured. A  review of  trauma care  in                                                                    
Alaska  by the  College  of Surgeons  shows  that Alaska  is                                                                    
behind other  states and is  the only state without  a level                                                                    
two  trauma   center  that  serves   the  majority   of  the                                                                    
population. The  report suggested  ways to improve  and some                                                                    
of those  changes have  been made.  Having an  incentive for                                                                    
hospitals not currently participating  will improve care and                                                                    
improve outcomes.  The bill  will provide  the means  for an                                                                    
incentive.  Other  states  have mandated  this  program.  He                                                                    
concluded that  40 to 50 lives  a year can be  saved by this                                                                    
program.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson commented  that  the bill  goes  a long  ways                                                                    
toward  improving health  care  in rural  Alaska. He  agreed                                                                    
that a number of lives would be saved.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:59:09 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Coghill  reported that  a lot  has been  invested in                                                                    
EMS Systems and First Responders;  however, there is a great                                                                    
need for trauma  systems in hospitals. He  stressed that the                                                                    
bill is one step in  the process and would bring consistency                                                                    
to trauma care and contribute to preventative care.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
HB  168  was  heard  and   HELD  in  Committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
10:01:35 AM