Legislature(2015 - 2016)CAPITOL 106
03/08/2016 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
Note: the audio ![]()
and video ![]()
recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB227 | |
| HB344 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 227 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 344 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 344-DRUG PRESCRIPTION DATABASE
3:53:26 PM
CHAIR SEATON announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 344, "An Act relating to the controlled substance
prescription database; and providing for an effective date."
3:53:50 PM
CHAIR SEATON opened public testimony. After ascertaining no one
wished to testify, closed public testimony.
3:54:19 PM
CHAIR SEATON directed attention to the answers to the committee
questions provided by the Department of Commerce, Community &
Economic Development [included in members' packets].
3:55:09 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 3:55 p.m. to 3:57 p.m.
3:57:33 PM
CHAIR SEATON brought the committee back to order.
3:57:38 PM
JANEY HOVENDEN, Director, Division of Corporations, Business,
and Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community &
Economic Development, clarified that the original fiscal note
did not include the cost of software upgrades to update nightly
or weekly. She stated that the department would adjust the
fiscal note to match the proposed committee substitute.
CHAIR SEATON asked that the department provide an updated fiscal
note.
3:59:11 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR asked about the cost to upgrade to weekly or
daily.
MS. HOVENDEN explained that this had been corrected by the
vendor to $2,200 annually.
REPRESENTATIVE WOOL asked how often the software needed to be
updated.
MS. HOVENDEN opined that the updating reflected current
information either nightly or weekly and was not an upgrade for
the system.
CHAIR SEATON noted that the proposed committee substitute would
change "from near real time" to "at least weekly," although it
was still a requirement for the pharmacist to submit to the data
base.
MS. HOVENDEN expressed her agreement.
CHAIR SEATON referenced the question about the methadone
clinics, considered to be psychiatric treatment and; therefore,
protected under federal law. He offered an anecdote regarding a
patient given something at an Emergency Room which interacted
badly with methadone, and resulted in the patient's death. He
suggested that methadone be included in the database, or, if
this was not allowed by federal law, were there any suggestions.
CHAIR SEATON asked how current information to the database would
be updated by practitioners who did not have access to the
internet.
MS. HOVENDEN said that she wanted to clarify, although she
stated that there were ways to work around for those who did not
have internet access. She offered her understanding that faxes
could be submitted.
CHAIR SEATON asked for a statement of the ways to work around so
the committee substitute could be aligned.
REPRESENTATIVE WOOL asked about the requirement for notarization
to verify identity.
MS. HOVENDEN relied that this was the current system.
REPRESENTATIVE WOOL suggested use of the "MyAlaska" accounts.
MS. HOVENDEN relayed that this was being explored, noting that
this was only an option for Alaska residents already registered.
CHAIR SEATON asked if the requirement for license or
registration offered an option other than the notarized
identification.
MS. HOVENDEN explained that licensing offered a mechanism for
discipline, otherwise there was not an avenue for discipline.
REPRESENTATIVE VAZQUEZ asked for clarification regarding the
data updating.
CHAIR SEATON replied that the current committee substitute
required it to be at least weekly, as it was now monthly. He
pointed out that reporting daily was a potential problem for
rural pharmacies. He reported that, as prescription abuse was
not a one-time issue, requiring the reporting to be at least
weekly would "catch most things in the system."
4:08:04 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VAZQUEZ asked if the committee substitute would
clarify who had the responsibility to check the database, the
provider, the dispenser, or both.
CHAIR SEATON explained that the committee substitute required
the physician, or the pharmacist-in-chief, or a licensed or
registered delegated staff. He reported that fewer than 13
percent of the providers in Alaska were currently registered to
use the database, and the proposed bill would require them all
to be registered. He stated that it was intended for providers
to check the database prior to writing a prescription. He
reported that the proposed committee substitute required the
initial prescription to only be for seven days, as currently
there was no limit, unless there was a specific condition or
logistical reason for a longer dose for adults.
4:11:12 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked if there was a fail-safe to ensure
the database was kept current.
MS. HOVENDEN directed attention to the fiscal note which
requested a program coordinator to manage the monitoring
program.
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked if this person would maintain the
system on a current basis.
MS. HOVENDEN replied that it would be the responsibility of the
program coordinator, with the pharmacy licensing examiner in the
back-up role.
CHAIR SEATON pointed out that there was not a single individual
with this responsibility in the current program.
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES opined that there could be follow-up if it
becomes an issue.
REPRESENTATIVE WOOL asked for clarification that the proposed
committee substitute only dealt with disbursement and not
prescription.
CHAIR SEATON replied that the proposed committee substitute
required that all the prescribers, pharmacists, or their
licensed delegates check the data base. He declared that the
purpose of the proposed bill was to ensure accountability for
use of this data base by the prescription authorities, as well
as the pharmacists. He reiterated that there was also a
requirement for a maximum seven day initial prescription,
although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
had recommended a maximum three day initial prescription. He
pointed out that the Department of Commerce, Community &
Economic Development was only managing the database.
REPRESENTATIVE WOOL opined that the primary difference was for
both the providers and the dispensers to be required to enter
the data.
[HB 344 was held over.]
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB 227 Summary of Changes_H to N.pdf |
HHSS 3/8/2016 3:00:00 PM |
HB 227 |
| HB 227 Proposed CS ver N_3.7.2016.pdf |
HHSS 3/8/2016 3:00:00 PM |
HB 227 |
| HB 344 Follow Up DCCED_3.8.2016.pdf |
HHSS 3/8/2016 3:00:00 PM HHSS 3/10/2016 3:00:00 PM |
HB 344 |
| HB 227 Fiscal Note Graphs from Legislative finance_ 3-8-16.pdf |
HHSS 3/8/2016 3:00:00 PM |
HB 227 |