04/11/2023 03:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

        SB 106-HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED WAIVER SERVICES                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:45:40 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR   WILSON  reconvened   the   meeting   and  announced   the                                                               
consideration of  SENATE BILL NO.  106 "An Act relating  to home-                                                               
and  community-based   services  under  the   medical  assistance                                                               
program; and providing for an effective date."                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
He  noted that  the  committee heard  the  introduction and  took                                                               
invited and public  testimony during the first  hearing. He asked                                                               
Senator  Giessel to  update the  committee on  the status  of the                                                               
department's application for a waiver.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:46:20 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  CATHY GIESSEL,  District  E,  Alaska State  Legislature,                                                               
Juneau, Alaska,  speaking as the  sponsor of SB 106,  stated that                                                               
on April 4 the federal  government declined the request to extend                                                               
the   waiver   that   temporarily  allows   legally   responsible                                                               
individuals  (LRI)  to  be  paid   for  rendering  personal  care                                                               
services  to  family  members  who  are  Medicaid  eligible.  The                                                               
current waiver  ends on May 11,  2023, which makes the  bill even                                                               
more important. She  cautioned that even if SB 106  were to pass,                                                               
it would take  time to write regulations so there  would be a gap                                                               
in payments to people supplying this care.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:47:23 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON  discerned there were  no questions or  comments and                                                               
solicited a motion.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:47:27 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR KAUFMAN moved  to report SB 106,  work order 33-LS0476\B,                                                               
from committee with individual  recommendations and attached zero                                                               
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:47:45 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON found no objection and  SB 106 was reported from the                                                               
Senate Health and Social Services Standing Committee.