Legislature(2023 - 2024)GRUENBERG 120

04/30/2024 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+= HB 362 PRISONER MED CARE MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT TELECONFERENCED
Moved HB 362 Out of Committee
+= HB 397 ELIMINATE VACANT STATE POSITIONS TELECONFERENCED
Moved CSHB 397(STA) Out of Committee
-- Public Testimony <Time Limit May Be Set> --
*+ HB 293 VEHICLES:REGISTER;TRANSFER; INS.; LICENSE TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Public Testimony <Time Limit May Be Set> --
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
        HB 362-PRISONER MED CARE MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:05:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHAW  announced that the  first order of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 362, "An  Act relating to the  reimbursement rate                                                               
for prisoner medical care."                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:05:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ERIC  CORDERO,  Staff,  Representative Mike  Prax,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, reviewed  HB 362 on  behalf of  Representative Prax,                                                               
prime sponsor.   He explained that HB 362 would  establish a rate                                                               
for  the  Department  of  Corrections  (DOC)  to  negotiate  with                                                               
healthcare providers,  similar to  the rate established  by Title                                                               
19 of  current Alaska  Statute.   He said HB  362 would  give the                                                               
commissioner  of  DOC  discretion  in cases  where  there  is  no                                                               
provider  available  or  when   a  prisoner  requires  specialist                                                               
medical care.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:07:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  STORY   asked  who  was   currently  establishing                                                               
healthcare rates for DOC.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:07:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TERI  WEST,  Director,  Administrative  Services,  Department  of                                                               
Corrections,  addressed   Representative  Story  and   said  that                                                               
healthcare providers  are responsible for establishing  the rates                                                               
that DOC must pay.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked who provided care to the prisoners.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS. WEST answered  that DOC would send the offender  to the local                                                               
hospital.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:09:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
APRIL WILKERSON, Deputy  Commissioner, Department of Corrections,                                                               
added  that  DOC  works  diligently with  any  provider  that  is                                                               
willing to  provide services to  the department;  sometimes there                                                               
are cases  where the  provider is unwilling  to offer  a discount                                                               
for their services to DOC, in  which case the department must pay                                                               
full value  for the services.   She said that HB  362 would limit                                                               
the price that healthcare providers may charge DOC.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STORY shared  her concern that DOC did  not have a                                                               
going rate for the cost of healthcare services.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER   WILKERSON  responded   that  DOC   analyzes  where                                                               
services are needed and necessary.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  STORY  commented that  Alaska  is  unique in  its                                                               
logistical challenges to deliver healthcare to a patient.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:12:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CARPENTER  asked  how to  negotiate  a  different                                                               
price if the provider can only  bill a patient or customer at the                                                               
current Medicare rate.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER WILKERSON  replied that when Medicaid  expansion was                                                               
first  implemented,  there  were   issues  with  providers  being                                                               
unwilling to provide  services, and DOC does have  the ability to                                                               
negotiate a rate  better than Medicaid if necessary.   She shared                                                               
her belief that  HB 362 would not affect the  number of providers                                                               
as was done when Medicaid was expanded.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:16:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. CORDERO thanked the committee for hearing HB 362.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:16:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT  moved to  report HB  362 out  of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.  There being no objection,  HB 362 was reported out of the                                                               
House State Affairs Standing Committee.                                                                                         

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB362 Support Document - 18 USC 4006_ Subsistence for prisoners.pdf HSTA 4/9/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/11/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/16/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/30/2024 3:00:00 PM
HB 362
HB 362 Sectional Analysis Version A.pdf HSTA 4/9/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/11/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/16/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/30/2024 3:00:00 PM
HB 362
HB362 Sponsor Statement 03.28.24.pdf HSTA 4/9/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/11/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/16/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/30/2024 3:00:00 PM
HB 362
HB362 Support Document - UFCR Medicare Rate Limitation.pdf HSTA 4/9/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/11/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/16/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/30/2024 3:00:00 PM
HB 362
HB362 Support Document - Washington State Medical Contracts for services.pdf HSTA 4/9/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/11/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/16/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/30/2024 3:00:00 PM
HB 362
HB 362 Fiscal Note DOC.pdf HSTA 4/16/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/30/2024 3:00:00 PM
HB 362
HB 397 Fiscal Note DOA.pdf HSTA 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/23/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/30/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 5/2/2024 3:00:00 PM
HB 397
HB 397 Sectional Analysis v. A 4.11.2024.pdf HSTA 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/23/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/30/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 5/2/2024 3:00:00 PM
HB 397
HB 397 Sponser Statement v. A 4.11.2024.pdf HSTA 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/23/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/30/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 5/2/2024 3:00:00 PM
HB 397
HB 397 v. A 4.11.2024.pdf HSTA 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/23/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/30/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 5/2/2024 3:00:00 PM
HB 397
HB0293A.pdf HSTA 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/30/2024 3:00:00 PM
HB 293
HB293 Sectional Analysis.pdf HSTA 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/30/2024 3:00:00 PM
HB 293
HB293-DOA-DMV-02-16-2024.pdf HSTA 4/18/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 4/30/2024 3:00:00 PM
HB 293
HB 397 Amendment Packet - HSTA 4.30.2024.pdf HSTA 4/30/2024 3:00:00 PM
HSTA 5/2/2024 3:00:00 PM
HB 397
HB 293 Letter of Support AADA.pdf HSTA 4/30/2024 3:00:00 PM
HB 293