03/06/1995 10:15 AM Senate HES

 SHES - 3/6/95                                                                 
                                                                               
        SB 100 DISCRIMINATION UNDER GROUP HEALTH INS.                        
                                                                             
                                                                               
 Number 005                                                                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN GREEN called the Senate Health, Education and Social                 
 Services (HESS) Committee to order at 10:15 a.m. and introduced               
 SB 100  as the first order of business before the committee.                  
                                                                               
 JACK HEESCH, Alaska Academy of Physicians Assistants, stated that             
 SB 100 prevents discrimination against physicians assistants and              
 acupuncturists.  He explained that under SB 100 a state licensed              
 practitioner who is covered under a group insurance policy would              
 require that the group insurer cover all similarly licensed                   
 practitioners.  The bill does not mandate that such services be               
 covered, SB 100 merely says that if the service is covered then all           
 such services should be covered.                                              
                                                                               
 Mr. Heesch pointed out that a physician assistant can provide                 
 approximately 75-80 percent of the same services as their principle           
 physician.  Physician assistants are trained to provide similar               
 medical services as the doctors with whom they work and their                 
 training is less expensive.  He stated that physician assistants              
 are more willingly to work in remote areas; this would provide some           
 solution to the access problems in rural Alaska.                              
                                                                               
 Mr. Heesch noted support for SB 100 for physician assistants by the           
 Alaska Health Care Coalition.  He discussed the support this                  
 legislation received last year and said that many groups had been             
 asked to provide letters of support.  He explained that since                 
 SB 100 does not mandate or require service, it would not effect               
 anyone fiscally.  The Department of Administration, Division of               
 Retirement and Benefits has provided a zero fiscal note.  An AETNA            
 representative did not believe that SB 100 would not effect them              
 fiscally.  Mr. Heesch pointed out that last year the Department of            
 Labor, Worker's Compensation, and the Department of Commerce,                 
 Division of Insurance, provided zero fiscal notes to this                     
 legislation.                                                                  
 CHAIRMAN GREEN asked if anyone was in opposition to SB 100.  Upon             
 hearing no opposition, Chairman Green stated that she intended to             
 move SB 100 out of committee.  She asked if anyone would like to              
 waive the right to testify in order to move forward with this                 
 legislation.                                                                  
                                                                               
 Number 090                                                                    
                                                                               
 DAVID FORD, Acupuncturist, stated that he had practiced in Alaska             
 for 11 years and nationally for 21 years.  He related his                     
 experience that acupuncturists treat those patients at the end of             
 the road.  Eighty-five percent of the patients of acupuncturists              
 have either complete remission of their symptoms or remission to              
 the point of living comfortably with their condition.  This has               
 been confirmed in a January 30, 1995 article in the Wall Street              
 Journal which stated that individuals receiving acupuncture saved            
 the American West Life Insurance Company 30-70 percent over those             
 only receiving medical practice.  He noted the various insurance              
 companies that currently cover acupuncture.                                   
                                                                               
 Mr. Ford pointed out that three states have mandated drug courts              
 which allow the choice of drug offenders and abusers to either go             
 to jail or receive acupuncture.  This program has a 75 percent                
 long-term success rate with those who receive acupuncture versus a            
 15 percent success rate with those who receive other treatment                
 methods.  He indicated that Alaska could save money by setting up             
 such a program; Anchorage spends $30,000 per drunk per year.  This            
 program could save money while helping those individuals to reenter           
 society as productive members.                                                
                                                                               
 SENATOR MILLER moved that SB 100 be moved out of committee with               
 individual recommendations.  SENATOR SALO objected.                           
                                                                               
 SENATOR SALO pointed out that last year there was an attempt to add           
 marital and family therapists to the list of providers.  She noted            
 that SB 100 did not have marital and family therapists on the list.           
 She offered an amendment to add marital and family therapists to              
 the list of acceptable providers.                                             
                                                                               
 SENATOR MILLER said that SB 100 would be forwarded to the Senate              
 Labor & Commerce Committee of which Senator Salo is a member.  He             
 suggested that perhaps, Senator Salo could have a written amendment           
 prepared for the Labor & Commerce Committee, the last committee of            
 referral for SB 100.                                                          
                                                                               
 SENATOR SALO indicated that would be appropriate and she removed              
 her objection.                                                                
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN GREEN stated that without objections, SB 100 would be                
 forwarded out of committee with individual recommendations.