03/26/2015 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

           SB  14-MEDICAL BOARD; MEDICAL REVIEW ORG.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:34:16 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  COSTELLO announced  the consideration  of SB  14. "An  Act                                                               
relating to the appointment of  a mobile intensive care paramedic                                                               
to  the   State  Medical  Board;   relating  to   medical  review                                                               
organizations;  relating  to  immunity  pertaining  to  automated                                                               
external defibrillators;  and providing  for an  effective date."                                                               
She noted that  this was the second hearing  and public testimony                                                               
was  closed. She  asked  for a  motion to  adopt  the work  draft                                                               
committee substitute (CS).                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:34:29 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GIESSEL  moved to  adopt  the  proposed  CS for  SB  14,                                                               
labeled 29-LS0025\E, as the working document.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MEYER objected for discussion purposes.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:34:54 PM                                                                                                                    
WESTON  EILER,  Staff,  Senator   Mia  Costello,  explained  that                                                               
version E:  changes the  composition of  the State  Medical Board                                                               
("board") by removing one public  seat when it sunsets and adding                                                               
one licensed paramedic; removes  the repealer section relating to                                                               
defibrillators; and amends the effective date to 3/1/2017.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MEYER removed his objection.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COSTELLO announced that  without further objection, version                                                               
E  was  before  the  committee. She  advised  that  she  reviewed                                                               
licensing boards  and their membership  and found that  there are                                                               
12 in Alaska that have just one public seat.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GIESSEL expressed  concern  that  sunsetting one  public                                                               
seat  dilutes  the  voice  of  the  consumer.  She  assumed  that                                                               
maintaining the  current number of  seats rather than  adding one                                                               
was done for economic reasons.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COSTELLO  said the reason  for keeping the number  the same                                                               
is to  maintain the current  balance of medical members.  This is                                                               
in  line with  other boards  and  commissions like  the Board  of                                                               
Dental Examiners  that has  eight industry  seats and  one public                                                               
member  and the  Board of  Chiropractic Examiners  that has  four                                                               
industry seats and one public member.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:39:41 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS  voiced concern that  paramedics would  be making                                                               
decisions   about   licensing   and  disciplinary   actions   for                                                               
physicians. He noted that this  wouldn't happen in the university                                                               
setting.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR.  EILER  suggested  Mr. Shilling  speak  to  Senator  Steven's                                                               
concern.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GIESSEL said  she  shares the  concern  that this  would                                                               
diversify the composition of a professional regulatory board.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:41:18 PM                                                                                                                    
JORDAN  SHILLING,  Staff,  Senator   John  Coghill,  stated  that                                                               
paramedics and physicians are  two entirely different professions                                                               
and the  relationship is different  than between a  professor and                                                               
an associate professor.  He said the sponsor  feels strongly that                                                               
if this board  is to regulate the paramedics, then  they ought to                                                               
have a voice.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GIESSEL questioned  how  someone who  is a  pre-hospital                                                               
professional could  understand the  issues of a  professional who                                                               
is in the hospital.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR.  SHILLING  relied  the paramedics  similarly  might  question                                                               
whether  physicians are  qualified to  regulate their  profession                                                               
without  a paramedic  voice at  the table.  He opined  that there                                                               
were probably similar discussions  when the legislature initially                                                               
contemplated adding a physician assistant (PA) to the board.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  GIESSEL said  she could  honestly argue  for a  separate                                                               
paramedic board.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. SHILLING  offered his  belief that  paramedics would  be very                                                               
satisfied to have a board that regulates EMTs and paramedics.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:44:31 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS asked if physicians  have taken a position on the                                                               
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR. SHILLING relayed  that the physicians who have  served on the                                                               
State Medical  Board in the  past have been supportive.  He noted                                                               
that the  sponsor hasn't heard  opposition from  physicians other                                                               
than their guild.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COSTELLO  noted the committee  had documented  support from                                                               
the American  Medical Association  (AMA) for the  current version                                                               
of the  bill. She also pointed  out that the 2017  effective date                                                               
provides  a   window  of  opportunity  for   further  discussion,                                                               
including for a separate board.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:45:43 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MEYER  opined that this is  the best way forward  at this                                                               
time.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COSTELLO  noted that the  next committee of  referral could                                                               
probably zero the $7,000 receipts  services in the fiscal note in                                                               
light of the CS.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GIESSEL highlighted  that the licensees will  pay just as                                                               
they would if it were a separate paramedic board.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  COSTELLO  found  no  further  questions  or  comments  and                                                               
solicited a motion.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:47:34 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GIESSEL  moved to report  the CS  for SB 14,  labeled 29-                                                               
LS0025\E,  from  committee  with individual  recommendations  and                                                               
attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COSTELLO announced that without  objection, CSSB 14(L&C) is                                                               
reported from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.