Legislature(2009 - 2010)CAPITOL 106
03/25/2010 03:00 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB309 | |
| HB361 | |
| HB392 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 309 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 361 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 392 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 392-INCENTIVES FOR CERTAIN MEDICAL PROVIDERS
4:42:10 PM
CO-CHAIR KELLER announced that the final order of business be
HOUSE BILL NO. 392, "An Act establishing a loan repayment
program and employment incentive program for certain health care
professionals employed in the state; and providing for an
effective date."
4:42:28 PM
CO-CHAIR HERRON moved to adopt proposed committee substitute
(CS) for HB 392, 26-LS1528\S, Mischel, 3/17/10 as the working
draft.
4:42:46 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON objected for discussion.
4:42:57 PM
NIKOOSH CARLO, Staff to Representative Bob Herron, Alaska State
Legislature, explained that the change to Version S was on page
5, line 15, and it inserted "to not fewer than three
participants employed in very hard-to-fill positions."
DR. CARLO explained that HB 392 created an incentive program and
loan repayment program within Department of Health and Social
Services.
4:46:19 PM
DR. CARLO, in response to a questions about the earlier Version
E, explained that on page 5, line 12, "continuing participant"
had been inadvertently deleted.
The committee took an at-ease from 4:46 p.m. to 4:47 p.m.
4:47:50 PM
REPRESENTATIVE T. WILSON asked for a definition of "hard-to-
fill."
DR. CARLO replied that this definition would be worked out in
regulations.
4:48:30 PM
CO-CHAIR KELLER asked for the determination of "hard-to-fill."
DIANE BARRANS, Executive Director, Alaska Commission on
Postsecondary Education (ACPE), replied that this would be
determined by Department of Health and Social Services.
4:49:02 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked about the duration for loan
repayments to the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and
Idaho (WWAMI) graduate medical education program. He commented
that HB 392 had a six year loan repayment program, and he asked
if there were any other programs of that duration.
4:49:38 PM
MS. BARRANS replied that the two WWAMI repayment terms were
three years for underserved areas and five years for urban
areas. She said that it was important to distinguish the
fundamental structure of WWAMI. She explained that the
agreement was entered into when students entered the first year
of the graduate medical program, and the funds were paid
directly to the University of Washington School of Medicine.
She pointed out that if a graduate did not return to Alaska to
practice, the service agreement would convert into a loan with
active repayment. She said that there was not a similar, active
program. She explained that there was a small teacher education
loan with a similar structure to WWAMI. She pointed out that
this proposed program could be paid off after three years of
service, depending on the amount of debt.
4:52:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON questioned that if the proposed program
was for any student loans, was it necessary to make direct
payment to the loan holder, other than an Alaskan state loan, or
just make the payment to the student.
4:53:05 PM
MS. BARRANS said that this program had evolved over the years,
and that it was only recently that the direct incentive of cash
payment was included. She opined that the loan repayment
language could be vestigial and that some groups believed the
student loan payment to be duplicative.
4:54:04 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked if the reference could just be to
the Alaska student loan program.
MS. BARRANS offered her belief that this would be a different
objective from the original program. She explained that the
broad education loan eligibility was to allow recruitment from
out of state. She said that a change might limit the
participation.
4:55:22 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON offered his belief that this change would
make it easier administratively, and he did not see "any
downsides."
4:56:05 PM
CO-CHAIR KELLER allowed that this would be the sponsor's
decision.
REPRESENTATIVE T. WILSON offered her support and stated that the
doctor shortage was only going to worsen.
4:56:53 PM
CO-CHAIR HERRON, as the prime sponsor of HB 392, expressed
agreement with Representative Seaton.
4:58:04 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON suggested that a conceptual amendment
would streamline the bill.
CO-CHAIR HERRON asked if the conceptual agreement was for
another means to administer the loan program.
4:59:30 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 1,
which he explained would only limit the loan repayment be used
for Alaska state issue loans, with the remainder of the same
amount to now be paid by direct incentive.
5:00:02 PM
REPRESENTATIVE T. WILSON objected for discussion. She expressed
concern that this would limit the participation.
REPRESENTATIVE HOLMES also objected for discussion. She stated
her agreement with the intent to simplify the paperwork and
lower the administrative cost. She expressed concern with any
unforeseen consequences by somehow "skewing who is eligible to
receive the money."
5:01:33 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON replied that the intent was for repayment
to Alaska state loans, with the cap to remain the same.
5:02:09 PM
REPRESENTATIVE T. WILSON removed her objection.
REPRESENTATIVE HOLMES removed her objection.
5:02:24 PM
DR. CARLO emphasized that an applicant was eligible for the
program whether or not they had any loans.
5:02:40 PM
There being no objection, Conceptual Amendment 1 was adopted.
REPRESENTATIVE HOLMES expressed her support for HB 392.
5:03:29 PM
CO-CHAIR KELLER stated his discomfort with the necessity to
subsidize the salaries of these professionals, and he opined
that government rate regulation had removed any incentives for
practice. He reiterated that the current federal health care
legislation could make it necessary to re-visit this bill.
[Version S was adopted as the working draft.]
5:05:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE T. WILSON moved to report proposed committee
substitute (CS) for HB 392, 26-LS1528\S, Mischel, 3/17/10, as
amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and
the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB
392 (HSS) was forwarded from the House Health and Social
Services Standing Committee.
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