02/29/2024 01:30 PM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 91                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An   Act   relating   to   telehealth;   relating   to                                                                    
     multidisciplinary  care  teams;  and  relating  to  the                                                                    
     practice of medicine."                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:42:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson  MOVED to ADOPT the  committee substitute for                                                                    
SB 91, Work Draft 33-LS0193\S (A. Radford, 2/27/24).                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:42:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KEN  ALPER, STAFF,  SENATE FINANCE  COMMITTEE discussed  the                                                                    
Explanation of Changes (copy on file):                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Change  1:  Clarifies  that the  Telehealth  option  is                                                                    
     available   if    the   services   provided    by   the                                                                    
     multidisciplinary   care   team  are   not   reasonably                                                                    
     available in the state.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Change  2: Reorganizes  the changes  made in  the prior                                                                    
     draft   by  adding   a  new   subsection   (3)  to   AS                                                                    
     08.02.130(b), regarding  ongoing treatment  and follow-                                                                    
     up care provided by an  out of state physician and that                                                                    
     physician's multidisciplinary care team.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Change   3:  Clarifies   that   all   members  of   the                                                                    
     multidisciplinary  care   team  must  be   licensed  in                                                                    
     another state.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Change  4: Adds  "advanced nurse  practitioner" to  the                                                                    
     list of  providers that  are eligible to  be part  of a                                                                    
     multidisciplinary care team.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Change  5:  Removes  the   section  that  required  all                                                                    
     members of a team to  register with the department. The                                                                    
     existing  statute requiring  the  employer to  register                                                                    
     with the  state, which was added  in earlier Telehealth                                                                    
     legislation, will apply  to multidisciplinary care team                                                                    
     members.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Wilson   felt  that  Mr.  Alper's   comments  about                                                                    
"earlier  telehealth  legislation"  should be  corrected  to                                                                    
say, "earlier telehealth committee."                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Alper  replied  that  the  change  was  in  a  previous                                                                    
committee, but was referring  to telehealth legislation that                                                                    
was passed a few years prior.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Olson  REMOVED  his   OBJECTION.  There  being  no                                                                    
further objection, it was so ordered.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:46:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  MATT CLAMAN,  SPONSOR, agreed  with the  changes in                                                                    
the committee substitute.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson requested closing comments.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:46:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CLAIRE LUBKE,  STAFF, SENATOR MATT  CLAMAN, stated  that she                                                                    
had no additional comments.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Olson  asked whether  Ms. Lubke  was in  support of                                                                    
the changes.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Lubke replied in the affirmative.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilson  MOVED to  REPORT SB  91 from  committee with                                                                    
individual recommendations  and attached fiscal  note. There                                                                    
being no objection, it was so ordered.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CSSB 91(FIN)  REPORTED OUT of  committee with two  "do pass"                                                                    
recommendations,  two  "no   recommendations"  and  one  new                                                                    
fiscal note  from the Department of  Commerce, Community and                                                                    
Economic Development.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:47:45 PM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:50:33 PM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED