Legislature(2013 - 2014)BARNES 124
02/21/2014 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation: Alaska Lng Project - Memorandum of Understanding - Heads of Agreement | |
| HB230 | |
| HB300 | |
| HCR15 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| *+ | HB 230 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 300 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HCR 15 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 300-AIR AMBULANCE SERVICES
4:15:33 PM
CHAIR OLSON announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 300, "An Act relating to air ambulance service
providers, air ambulance membership agreements, and regulation
of air ambulance service providers and air ambulance membership
agreements by the division of insurance; and providing for an
effective date."
4:15:41 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CATHY MUNOZ, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor of HB 300, explained that this bill would allow popular
air ambulance membership programs to continue serving Alaskan
residents. She related a personal scenario in which her late
father was medevaced from Juneau two years ago and it saved his
life. These emergency transports are very expensive and can
cost $50,000 to $100,000 per flight. The membership program
allowed Alaskans to buy a membership, which served as the copay.
If a person was medevaced and used primary insurance, the copay
was waived if a person had a membership.
4:17:00 PM
CHAIR OLSON asked whether the membership would cover the entire
amount if the person did not have insurance.
REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ answered that the person would need primary
insurance coverage in order purchase a membership.
4:17:34 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ said she heard from 1,300 Juneauites who
were participants of Airlift Northwest. She indicated that
about three to four months ago, the Division of Insurance (DOI)
ruled that Airlift Northwest could not provide the [insurance]
service any longer since Airlift Northwest has specifically
reorganized its company under the University of Washington's
umbrella organization. In doing so, the program was no longer
eligible under the DOI's licensing requirements. Again, she has
heard from many constituents, of whom many are retirees worried
about losing the membership plan. This bill will allow
membership to continue. Passage of HB 300 would help 1,300
Juneauites, 460 individuals from Sitka, 450 from Wrangell, 330
from Ketchikan, and 200 in Petersburg. She explained the
figures are from one company that provides medvac services, but
there are other companies that can provide the service as well.
She noted letters of support in members' packets from the Alaska
Commission on Aging, the Southeast Alaska Fishermen's Alliance,
and residents of Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka.
4:20:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ stated that she has worked with the sponsor
in the Senate on a companion bill.
[HB 300 was held over.]