03/19/2014 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 80                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act relating  to the practice  of telemedicine  and                                                                   
     relating  to  licenses for  out-of-state  physicians  or                                                                   
     podiatrists  to  practice  telemedicine  in  this  state                                                                   
     under certain circumstances."                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:15:42 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Kelly   MOVED  to  ADOPT  the   proposed  committee                                                                   
substitute for SB  80, WORK DRAFT 28-LS0615\H  Martin 3/18/14                                                                   
as a working  document. There  being NO OBJECTION, it  was so                                                                   
ordered.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHRISTINE  MARASIGAN, STAFF, SENATOR  KEVIN MEYER,  addressed                                                                   
the new committee  substitute (CS) and related  that it dealt                                                                   
with Section  2 of the  bill. She noted  that there  had been                                                                   
groups   seeking   exemptions   from   Section   2   of   the                                                                   
legislation,  most notably  of which  were the Department  of                                                                   
Corrections   and  the  Department   of  Health   and  Social                                                                   
Services.  She pointed  to  page 2  of  the CS,  specifically                                                                   
lines   2  through   10;  the   exemption  about   controlled                                                                   
substances specifically  stated that the physician  must have                                                                   
an  established   physician/patient  relationship   and  when                                                                   
appropriate, a  licensed healthcare provider is  present with                                                                   
the  patient. Under  the  legislation,  a license  healthcare                                                                   
provider  included nurses.  She related  that the only  other                                                                   
change  in the  CS  was the  addition  of  language that  the                                                                   
emphasis  was  on  resident  physicians,  meaning  that  they                                                                   
practiced  and  were  licensed  in  Alaska;  follow  up  care                                                                   
needed to be  available to the patient. She  related that the                                                                   
bill  also  had a  zero  fiscal  note  and  that it  was  not                                                                   
anticipated  that the note  would change as  a result  of the                                                                   
CS.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Meyer  observed  that   the  committee  liked  zero                                                                   
fiscal notes  and inquired  if the  new CS addressed  Senator                                                                   
Olson's  concerns.  Senator Olson  replied  that  it did  and                                                                   
other  physicians  that  he  had spoken  to  were  much  more                                                                   
comfortable  with it as  well. He  applauded the sponsor  for                                                                   
working  with his  staff  to make  sure  that  the issues  of                                                                   
Rural Alaskan physicians were addressed.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Fairclough   wanted  to   confirm  that   the  CS                                                                   
included  nurse  practitioners.  Ms. Marasigan  responded  in                                                                   
the affirmative.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:18:48 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Meyer  inquired if the  sponsor had comments  on the                                                                   
changes in the CS.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  FRED   DYSON,  appreciated  the  work   of  Co-Chair                                                                   
Meyer's staffer,  Ms. Marasigan, on the bill  and stated that                                                                   
the sponsor  had tried  to answer  everyone's objections.  He                                                                   
addressed  Senator Olson  and  understood  that the  American                                                                   
Medical  Association might  send a letter  of endorsement  to                                                                   
the bill,  instead  of opposing  it. He noted  that with  the                                                                   
passage of  the CS,  tribal health centers  would be  able to                                                                   
be reimbursed  for treating non-Alaskan Natives.  He observed                                                                   
that  everyone appreciated  that  the tribal  health  centers                                                                   
served everyone  who walked in  their doors and  offered that                                                                   
the reimbursement would be helpful.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:20:14 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Kelly  MOVED  to  REPORT   CSSSSB  80(FIN)  out  of                                                                   
committee   with    individual   recommendations    and   the                                                                   
accompanying fiscal  note. There  being NO OBJECTION,  it was                                                                   
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CSSSSB  80(FIN) was  REPORTED  out of  committee  with a  "do                                                                   
pass" recommendation  and with  a new  zero fiscal  note from                                                                   
the   Department   of  Commerce,   Community   and   Economic                                                                   
Development.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:20:47 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:22:33 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED