04/25/2023 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

                 SJR 10-MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:15:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR PRAX  announced that  the next order  of business  would be                                                               
SENATE   JOINT   RESOLUTION    NO.   10,   Encouraging   Alaska's                                                               
Congressional  delegation and  the  federal  government to  raise                                                               
Medicare reimbursement rates to meet  the actual cost of care for                                                               
the state's senior citizens.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:15:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  CATHY  GIESSEL,  Alaska   State  Legislature,  as  prime                                                               
sponsor,  introduced  SJR  10.   She  stated  that  the  proposed                                                               
resolution would  be an appeal  to the United States  Congress to                                                               
increase the reimbursement rates  for Medicare, because providers                                                               
cannot "make  ends meet" with the  current Medicare reimbursement                                                               
rates.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:16:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  PRAX   opened  public   testimony  on   SJR  10.     After                                                               
ascertaining there  was no one  who wished to testify,  he closed                                                               
public testimony.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:16:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER  stated  that he  supports  the  proposed                                                               
resolution.   He  stated that  he has  heard from  physicians and                                                               
patients about  the inadequate Medicare reimbursement  rates.  He                                                               
questioned whether rates  would be increased by the  state or the                                                               
federal government.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GIESSEL  responded that the  rates are determined  by the                                                               
federal program;  therefore, the state  has no jurisdiction.   In                                                               
response to a  series of follow-up questions, she  began that the                                                               
determination  is a  nationwide  policy decision  by the  federal                                                               
government, and  it is not made  on a state-by-state basis.   She                                                               
continued that  if the federal  government approves  the measure,                                                               
then more  health care providers  in the  state would be  able to                                                               
afford to see  Medicare beneficiaries.  She  added that currently                                                               
when seniors  reach the  age of 65,  their primary  care provider                                                               
often will tell  them accepting Medicare is not  affordable.  She                                                               
pointed out that  hundreds of seniors lost  providers when Alaska                                                               
Regional  Hospital in  Anchorage  closed its  clinic because  the                                                               
Medicare  reimbursement was  so  low, and  it  could not  attract                                                               
enough staff to  continue to operate the facility.   She answered                                                               
that providers are not obligated  to accept patients covered only                                                               
by Medicare.   She explained that when  healthcare providers sign                                                               
up to be Medicare providers, they accept the reimbursement rate.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:19:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE moved to report  SJR 10 out of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.  There being no objection,  SJR 10 was reported out of the                                                               
House Health and Social Services Standing Committee.