Legislature(2017 - 2018)BUTROVICH 205
03/07/2018 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s): Mental Health Trust Authority Board of Trustees | |
| Department of Health and Social Services Office of Children's Services Response to the Citizen Review Panel Presentation | |
| SB169 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | SB 169 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 169-MEDICAID: BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COVERAGE
2:48:57 PM
CHAIR WILSON reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of SB 169. He noted the committee adopted the
committee substitute, version J, on March 5, 2018.
2:50:46 PM
CHAIR WILSON asked if there were any amendments.
2:50:50 PM
SENATOR BEGICH moved Amendment 1, labeled 30-LS1283\J.1.
AMENDMENT 1
OFFERED IN THE SENATE BY SENATOR Begich
TO: CSSB 169( ), Draft Version "J"
Page 1, line 7:
Delete "psychiatrist"
Insert "physician"
Page 1, line 9:
Delete "psychiatrist"
Insert "physician"
2:51:24 PM
CHAIR WILSON objected for purposes of discussion.
SENATOR BEGICH said the amendment deletes the word
"psychiatrist" and inserts the word "physician." The memo from
Legislative Legal shows that "psychiatrist" is under the
definition of physician. Alaska has fewer psychiatrists than
they thought.
SENATOR GIESSEL reported that since the last meeting she
accessed an Arctic Mental Health Work Group report that
identified 85 psychiatrists in the entire state. This was based
on a 2015-2016 primary care needs assessment. She also reported
that Alaska has about 140 clinical psychologists, 780 clinical
social workers, and 80 family and marital therapists. Alaska has
about 1,000 clinicians that could work under supervision of a
physician or an advanced nurse practitioner certified in
psychiatric mental health.
SENATOR MICCICHE said he walked through how behavioral health is
charged to Medicaid. The savings to the state are potentially
significant with the expanded supervision provided in this bill.
He predicted it will be in the millions of dollars. He stated
support for the zero fiscal note.
2:54:05 PM
RANDALL BURNS, Director, Division of Behavioral Health,
Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), answered
questions about SB 169.
CHAIR WILSON asked Mr. Burns if he saw any potential issues with
the term physician instead of psychiatrist.
MR. BURNS said he has no comments about replacing "psychiatrist"
with "physician," but would point out that the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services has a rule that limits who can
supervise clinic services to a physician or a dentist, if it's a
dental practice. The committee may want to talk about that
correction. Advanced nurse practitioners can already bill
Medicaid directly. For just clinic services, they may want to
limit that to physicians.
2:55:54 PM
CHAIR WILSON removed his objection. Finding no further
objection, Amendment 1 was adopted. He entertained a motion to
move CSSB 169 from committee.
2:56:19 PM
SENATOR VON IMHOF moved to report CSSB 169, version J as
amended, from committee with individual recommendations and
attached fiscal notes.
2:56:31 PM
There being no objection, CSSB 169(HSS) moved from the Senate
Health and Social Services Standing Committee.