02/14/2006 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

         SB 244-NO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ACUPUNCTURIST                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CON BUNDE announced SB 244 to be up for consideration.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THOMAS WAGONER,  sponsor of SB 244, explained  that AS 21                                                               
only  applies to  employers not  large enough  to fund  their own                                                               
health plans. This  bill does not apply  to individual insurance,                                                               
self-funded  employer  groups,   government  programs,  Medicare,                                                               
military, federal employees or Medicaid.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:37:50 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR RALPH  SEEKINS asked  for examples  of group  health care                                                               
service in Alaska.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:39:49 PM at ease 1:40:06 PM                                                                                               
KATIE CAMPBELL, Life and Health  Actuary, Department of Commerce,                                                               
Community  & Economic  Development,  replied that  the only  non-                                                               
profit  health organization  Alaska  has is  Primera; it  doesn't                                                               
have HMO's.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR SEEKINS asked if this bill would only apply to Primera.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. CAMPBELL  replied no; it  would apply to all  health insurers                                                               
like Aetna.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:41:18 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BUNDE asked  if the fiscal note would change  with this new                                                               
information.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  WAGONER  replied yes,  the  Division  of Retirement  and                                                               
Benefits fiscal note would change and  join the packet on its way                                                               
through the legislature.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:43:15 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR SEEKINS  said he heard  this should save the  state money                                                               
since acupuncture can address some  medical problems with cheaper                                                               
treatments.  He  wanted to  hear  what  the allopathic  community                                                               
thought about it.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:46:17 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BEN STEVENS asked if  there would be an additional fiscal                                                               
note to the one from 2/7.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS. MILHORN replied yes.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR BEN STEVENS asked:                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     In the analysis of the  fiscal note provided on 2/7/06,                                                                    
     it  says, 'Adding  this provider  type to  the list  of                                                                    
     covered  providers  under  AS 21.06  would  not  expand                                                                    
     additional coverage  for their services without  a plan                                                                    
     modification.' So,  am I interpreting that  to say that                                                                    
     even if  we pass this,  unless the provider  approves a                                                                    
     plan  modification   that  it's   not  going   to  cost                                                                    
     anything?                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS.   FREDA  MILLER,   Health  Benefits   Manager,  Division   of                                                               
Retirement  and  Benefits,  replied  that that  fiscal  note  was                                                               
prepared   before  she   learned  additional   information  after                                                               
speaking  with their  third-party  administrator  for the  health                                                               
plans.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:48:31 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  SEEKINS  moved SB  244  from  committee with  individual                                                               
recommendations and  with the understanding  that the  new fiscal                                                               
note would catch  up with it in the next  committee. Senators Ben                                                               
Stevens, Davis, Ellis, Seekins and  Chair Bunde voted yea; and SB
 was moved from committee.