03/28/1994 09:00 AM Senate FIN

  CSSB 249(HES): An  Act  relating to  assisted  living homes;                 
                 relating  to the  conversion  of an  assisted                 
                 living  home  to  a nursing  home;  repealing                 
                 references  to  residential   facilities  for                 
                 dependent adults; abolishing the authority of                 
                 certain   municipalities   to    license   or                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
                 supervise institutions  caring for  dependent                 
                 adults; and providing for an effective date.                  
                                                                               
                 Commissioner  Nancy   Usera,  Department   of                 
                 Administration,  and  Connie  Sipe, Director,                 
                 Older  Alaskans  Commissioner,  Department of                 
                 Administration, spoke in  support of SB  249.                 
                 Discussion followed by Senators  Kerttula and                 
                 Rieger regarding nursing care.  CSSB 249(HES)                 
                 was  REPORTED OUT  of  committee  with a  "do                 
                 pass,"  and   zero  fiscal   notes  for   the                 
                 Department of  Administration, Department  of                 
                 Health  &  Social   Services,  Medicaid   and                 
                 Claims, and a  fiscal note  in the amount  of                 
                 $154.3 for  the Department of Health & Social                 
                 Services, MH/DD Administration.                               
                                                                               
  CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 249(HES):                                             
                                                                               
       An Act relating  to assisted living homes;  relating to                 
       the conversion of an assisted living home to a  nursing                 
       home;  repealing  references to  residential facilities                 
       for  dependent  adults;  abolishing  the  authority  of                 
       certain   municipalities   to   license  or   supervise                 
       institutions caring for dependent adults; and providing                 
       for an effective date.                                                  
                                                                               
                                                                               
  Co-chair  Pearce  announced  that  SB  249  was  before  the                 
  committee.    She  invited Commissioner  Nancy  Bear  Usera,                 
  Department of  Administration, to  join the  members at  the                 
  table.                                                                       
                                                                               
  COMMISSIONER USERA  asked Connie  Sipe, Executive  Director,                 
  Older Alaskans Commission, Department of Administration,  to                 
  join her.  She said SB 249 had had numerous hearings.   This                 
  bill authorized the licensing of assisted living facilities.                 
  She stated there was a great demand for some type of interim                 
  care, particularly for seniors but  this also effected other                 
  individuals.   It gave a lot of  flexibility for alternative                 
  care for individuals  that could use  help but did not  want                 
  institutionalization.   She felt it  was a great  option for                 
  the state of  Alaska, and  would prove effective.   It  came                 
  about, in  part, because of  the success  and experience  in                 
  this area in the Pioneer Homes.   She strongly supported the                 
  bill.                                                                        
                                                                               
  In  answer to Senator  Kerttula, CONNIE  SIPE said  it would                 
  take about six months to get regulations in place to license                 
  and relicense those facilities which explained the effective                 
  date of January 1, 1995.                                                     
                                                                               
  Again, in  answer to Senator  Kerttula, Ms.  Sipe said  that                 
  individuals could receive  home health  nursing care for  60                 
  days  from  Medicare  if  they  had  just come  out  of  the                 
  hospital, or  they could  get a  personal care  attendant or                 
  chore service at home.   She explained that nursing  in your                 
  own home was  legal.  What was  not legal was nursing  in an                 
  adult foster care home or adult residential care home.  If a                 
  person lived  in their own  home, he/she could  get nursing.                 
  If a person lived  in someone else's home, he/she  could not                 
  get nursing care unless they moved to a nursing home.                        
                                                                               
  Senator  Kerttula asked Senator Rieger  if he wanted to make                 
  any comments  since the  HESS Committee  had held  extensive                 
  hearings  on  the bill.    Senator Rieger  mentioned concern                 
  regarding nursing authority that was referenced in the bill.                 
  The  Nurses'  Association wrote  a  letter saying  that they                 
  thought  it should  be watched  carefully.   Ms. Usera  said                 
  those provisions were governed  by the Board of  Nursing and                 
  the bill did not effect any authority or responsibilities in                 
  regard to the conduct of nursing activities.                                 
                                                                               
  In answer to Senator Kerttula,  regarding cost to the state,                 
  Ms. Usera said  that SB  249 provided for  the licensing  of                 
  additional facilities by the private sector.  She went on to                 
  explain  that   through  the  consolidation  of  the  senior                 
  programs, the administration  had been  able to absorb  this                 
  activity within the Division of Senior Services.  The fiscal                 
  note was  for licensing  other facilities  that might  serve                 
  different constituencies, such as  developmentally disabled,                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  or certain youth.                                                            
                                                                               
  Senator  Rieger  MOVED  for passage  of  CSSB  249(HES) from                 
  committee  with  individual recommendations.    No objection                 
  being heard,  CSSB 249(HES)  was REPORTED  OUT of  committee                 
  with a "do  pass," zero fiscal  notes for the Department  of                 
  Administration,  Department  of  Health  & Social  Services,                 
  Medicaid and Claims, and a fiscal note for the department of                 
  Health  & Social  Services-MH/DD Administration  for $154.3.                 
  Senators Rieger, Kelly,  Sharp and  Jacko signed "do  pass."                 
  Co-chairs  Pearce, Frank  and  Senator Kerttula  signed  "no                 
  recommendation."