Legislature(1999 - 2000)
04/22/1999 03:05 PM House HES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SB 56 - HOME HEALTH AGENCIES/HOSPITALS/HOSPICES Number 1906 CO-CHAIRMAN COGHILL announced the next order of business as Senate Bill No. 56, "An Act allowing the disclosure of reports with regard to inspection and investigations of certain health care facilities, home health agencies, hospice programs, and assisted living homes; authorizing the Department of Health and Social Services to license home health agencies; and providing for an effective date." He announced the committee would be addressing CSSB 56 instead of the companion bill HB 186. Number 1919 SENATOR GARY WILKEN, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor, presented CSSB 56 saying that the bill comes out of the Long-Term Care Task Force (LTCTF) Report and is the result of their recommendation number three. Since the early 1980s, the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) has annually inspected hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living care facilities and passed a recommendation as to their fitness to provide those services. Under current law, those inspection reports are not available to the public. Simply, SB 56 sets forth in law, that after the final report is finished and sent to the facility, it will be made available to the public within 14 days of that date. This bill formalizes the authority of the DHSS to license home health agencies. CO-CHAIRMAN DYSON asked Senator Wilken if there was any opposition to this bill. Number 2030 SENATOR WILKEN answered not that he was aware of. They had some input from different groups, and the amendments in the Senate took care of that. REPRESENTATIVE GREEN asked what has changed in the Senate version from the House version of the bill. SENATOR WILKEN answered that the major change had to do with defining what a final report was and allowing the caregiver to respond to that report before it was made public and a technical change which the department can explain. Number 2116 ELMER LINDSTROM, Special Assistant, Office of the Commissioner, Department of Health and Social Services, came forward to testify in support of SB 56. He informed them that the licensing report element is the significant change. The other technical amendment only relates to the department's ability to license home health agencies. They license and have statutory authority on a number of things, but they did not have specific statutory authority for home health agencies. Senator Wilken correctly described the one substantive change in the Senate bill that resulted in the committee substitute (CS), and it was to clarify that the DHSS would release the final report 14 calendar days after it had been made available to the facility. He believes that allayed the concerns of the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association. Number 2180 LINDA FINK, Assistant Director, Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association (ASHNHA), came forward to testify. She acknowledged that they did have a concern about the final reports being disclosed and that was addressed, and they do support the legislation as it is. Number 2212 SHELBY LARSEN, Administrator, Health Facilities Licensing and Certification, Division of Medical Assistance, DHSS, testified via teleconference in support of SB 56. He hopes the House version will reflect the changes in the Senate version. Number 2248 CO-CHAIRMAN DYSON made a motion to move CSSB 56(L&C) from committee with individual recommendations and zero fiscal note. There being no objection, CSSB 56(L&C) moved from the House Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee.
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