Legislature(2017 - 2018)FAHRENKAMP 203
03/22/2018 08:15 AM Senate RULES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB169 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 169 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 169-MEDICAID: BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COVERAGE
8:14:53 AM
CHAIR MEYER announced consideration of SB 169.
SENATOR MACKINNON moved to adopt CSSB 169(RLS), version 30-
LS1283\U, as the working document. There were no objections and
it was so ordered.
8:15:36 AM
SENATOR GIESSEL, sponsor of SB 169, Alaska State Legislature,
explained that the Rules [version \U] committee substitute (CS)
removes a phrase "or an advanced practice registered nurse
(APRN) licensed under AS 08.68 who is certified to provide
psychiatric or mental health services" in two locations of the
bill: on page 1, line 7, and on page 1, line 10.
She explained that these changes are being proposed because it
was noted in the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS)
under the Division of Behavioral new fiscal note, dated 3/14/18,
that Federal Rule 42 CFR 440.90 only allows clinic services to
be supervised only by a physician or a dentist. So, the addition
of the licensed advanced practice registered nurse certified in
psychiatric or mental health practice language does not affect
the fiscal note that is zero. Currently, it is not possible for
an APRN who owns a clinic providing behavioral health clinic
services to enroll the clinic and bill Medicaid under the clinic
license, which was the purpose of the addition of the APRN.
8:16:14 AM
SENATOR KELLY joined committee.
8:16:48 AM
CHAIR MEYER asked if this amendment was made in the Health and
Social Services Committee.
SENATOR GIESSEL replied no; it was in her original bill whose
purpose was to open the doors for more behavioral health
clinicians in the state. She has multiple document of how short
the state is; it was topic of huge interest under SB 74,
Medicaid reform.
Alaska has a rule that requires a psychiatrist to be physically
present in a clinic 30 percent of the time that the clinic is
open. The original bill would remove that requirement and
replace the word "psychiatrist" with the word "physician" and
included a psych-mental health nurse practitioner as one of the
supervisory folks. This would open the door for a lot more
clinicians to provide mental health services in the state.
Because of the federal reimbursement restrictions, the nurse
practitioner needed to be removed from the bill.
SENATOR MACKINNON asked if it is fair to say this will align the
state definition with federal requirements.
SENATOR GIESSEL replied that this language will be complying
with federal requirements. She added that she spoke with U.S.
Senator Dan Sullivan 10 days ago and sent a letter to the
secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
pointing out this huge flaw in federal law that is restricting
Alaska's mental health services and requesting an exemption. But
that will be some time in coming.
SENATOR GARDNER asked if the remainder of the bill allows a
physician who is not a psychiatrist to supervise in a behavioral
health clinic.
SENATOR GIESSEL answered yes, or a dentist, as the federal law
states.
8:19:09 AM
SENATOR MACKINNON moved to report CSSB 169(RLS), version 30-
LS1283\U from committee with individual recommendations and
forthcoming corrected zero fiscal note(s). There were no
objections and it was so ordered.
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