04/18/2002 03:08 PM House HES

                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
             HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES                                                                            
                       STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                                     
                         April 18, 2002                                                                                         
                           3:08 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                              
OVERVIEW:    DEPARTMENTS  OF  HEALTH   AND  SOCIAL  SERVICES  AND                                                               
ADMINISTRATION: LONG TERM CARE TASK FORCE; ASSISTED LIVING                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
TAPES                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
02-33, SIDES A & B                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FRED DYSON,  Chair,  convened  the House  Health,                                                               
Education and Social Services Standing Committee at 3:08 p.m.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
PRESENT                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Committee  members present  were Representatives  Dyson, Coghill,                                                               
Joule, Kohring, Wilson, Stevens, and Cissna.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
ALISON ELGEE,  Deputy Commissioner,  Office of  the Commissioner,                                                               
Department  of Administration,  presented an  overview that:   1)                                                               
summarized the  accomplishments made  through the Long  Term Care                                                               
Task Force and  those items that might require  follow-up; 2) the                                                               
position  of the  department concerning  issues that  may require                                                               
legislative  authorization  of future  task  forces;  and 3)  the                                                               
existing status of assisted living options in Alaska.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
STEVE ASHMAN,  Director, Division of Senior  Services, Department                                                               
of  Administration,  spoke  of blending  funds  through  Medicaid                                                               
waivers.     He  also  answered  questions   from  the  committee                                                               
regarding training manuals and regulations.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
ELMER LINDSTROM,  Deputy Commissioner,  Department of  Health and                                                               
Social Services,  was present  to answer  questions on  behalf of                                                               
the department.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MELVIN RICHARDSON joined the  presentation via teleconference. He                                                               
offered to  answer questions concerning  the Long Term  Care Task                                                               
Force.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MARIE  DARLIN, AARP,  reported findings  from  the AARP  members'                                                               
survey concerning health care.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MARY   NICHOLSON,  Nicholson   Assisted  Living,   reported  that                                                               
consumers can determine their level of care.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TOM  NICHOLSON,  Nicholson  Assisted Living,  was  available  for                                                               
questions via teleconference.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
ANNOUNCEMENTS                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
No announcements were made.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DYSON  closed this portion  of the House  Health, Education                                                               
and  Social  Services Standing  Committee  meeting  at 4:20  p.m.                                                               
[Minutes for  HB 180 can  be found in  the 4:22 p.m.  minutes for                                                               
the same date.]                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
NOTE:   The meeting was  recorded and handwritten log  notes were                                                               
taken.  A  copy of the tape(s)  and log notes may  be obtained by                                                               
contacting the  House Records  Office at  State Capitol,  Room 3,                                                               
Juneau,  Alaska   99801 (mailing  address),  (907) 465-2214,  and                                                               
after  adjournment of  the second  session  of the  Twenty-Second                                                               
Alaska  State Legislature  this  information may  be obtained  by                                                               
contacting the Legislative Reference Library at (907) 465-3808.