04/19/2023 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 57                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act  relating to medical assistance  for recipients                                                                    
     of Medicaid  waivers; establishing  an adult  care home                                                                    
     license  and procedures;  providing for  the transition                                                                    
     of  individuals from  foster care  to  adult home  care                                                                    
     settings; and providing for an effective date."                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:49:05 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson  relayed that SB  57 had first been  heard on                                                                    
March  28,   at  which  time  the   committee  heard  public                                                                    
testimony.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:49:32 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TONY  NEWMAN,  DIRECTOR,   DIVISION  SENIOR  AND  DISABILITY                                                                    
SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,  relayed that SB 57 provided                                                                    
elderly  Alaskans  and  adults with  disabilities  who  were                                                                    
enrolled in a Medicaid  home and community-based waiver with                                                                    
a new  living option in adult  home care. He noted  that the                                                                    
bill  would establish  a  new  licensed residential  setting                                                                    
type  and a  new certified  service to  be overseen  by DOH.                                                                    
Under  SB 57,  the  department would  develop a  streamlined                                                                    
process  for  foster  parents  who   had  cared  for  foster                                                                    
children  with  disabilities   to  transfer  their  existing                                                                    
foster home license to the  new adult home care license. The                                                                    
bill  would  provide an  incentive  for  foster families  to                                                                    
remain together  as children with  disabilities aged  out of                                                                    
the  foster care  system. He  asserted that  the bill  would                                                                    
address the  shortage of services  and settings  for seniors                                                                    
and  individuals who  required help  with the  activities of                                                                    
daily  living  and  other   assistance  to  achieve  greater                                                                    
independence.  He thought  that  the fiscal  notes had  been                                                                    
reviewed at the previous bill hearing.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson asked if there was opposition to the bill.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Newman was not aware of any opposition to the bill.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:51:15 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Kiehl MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 1.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Senator Kiehl  discussed Amendment 1, which  he described as                                                                    
a minor  change. He explained  that the bill  language about                                                                    
the homes  not being a  business site was  too prescriptive.                                                                    
He had  talked with the  department, which had  indicated it                                                                    
planned   to   put   in   regulation   pertaining   to   the                                                                    
requirements. He  explained that running a  home for payment                                                                    
may  trigger  a  municipal  business license,  and  in  some                                                                    
cases,   individuals  could   have  a   separate  home-based                                                                    
business.  The  bill itself  stipulated  that  the homes  be                                                                    
small  and  for   two  people  served,  with   three  as  an                                                                    
exception.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Olson   asked  Mr.   Newman  to  comment   on  the                                                                    
amendment.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Newman  indicated  that  the  Division  of  Senior  and                                                                    
Disability Services had no objection to the amendment.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:52:42 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ROBERT  NAVE,   PROGRAM  MANAGER,  DIVISION   OF  HEALTHCARE                                                                    
SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,  indicated that the division                                                                    
did not have concerns about the amendment.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Olson  WITHDREW  his  OBJECTION.  There  being  NO                                                                    
further OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Senator Kiehl MOVED to report  CSSB 57(FIN) out of Committee                                                                    
with individual recommendations  and the accompanying fiscal                                                                    
notes. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CSSB 57(FIN)  was REPORTED out  of committee with  three "do                                                                    
pass"  recommendations and  with  three  no  recommendation                                                                     
recommendations; and  with two new fiscal  impact notes from                                                                    
the Department of Health, and  one new zero fiscal note from                                                                    
the Department of Health.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Olson  discussed  the  agenda  for  the  afternoon                                                                    
meeting.