HB 185-MEDICAL ASSISTANCE; FAMILY PLANNING  4:31:26 PM CHAIR MINA announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 185, "An Act relating to medical assistance eligibility for family planning services; and providing for an effective date." 4:32:02 PM REPRESENTATIVE CAROLYN HALL, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor of HB 185, reviewed that the proposed legislation would create a family planning state plan amendment (SPA) that expands Medicaid coverage to provide family planning services to Alaskans. She highlighted that the proposed legislation would turn the existing temporary 1115 waiver to a permanent SPA, one benefit of which is that it would increase the number of Alaskans eligible for family planning services to 225 percent of the federal poverty level. She introduced her staff to respond to questions asked at the previous hearing on HB 185. 4:33:32 PM JJ JACKSON, Staff, Representative Carolyn Hall, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Hall, prime sponsor of HB 185, read [from a handout available in the committee file] responses to previous questions, which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: What are Family Planning Services?  ...Alaska Administrative Code (AAC) 110.230(f) defines "family planning services" as: "Services and materials provided with the purpose of postponing, avoiding, or terminating pregnancy; includes the dispensing of birth control drugs and devices for males and females, and the performance of vasectomies, sterilizations, and abortions for the purpose of avoiding or terminating pregnancy." State Planning Amendments (SPA) are narrow branches of Medicaid that provide specific services. In the case of the Family Planning (FP) SPA, HB 185 would not include abortion services. As stated on page 2, lines 10 and 11 of the bill, these services would be for "individuals of child-bearing age who are not pregnant." Are there examples of other SPAs in other states?  According to a Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) report, thirty states have a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) waiver or SPA to cover FP services. Alaska has expanded Medicaid with SPAs, with the passage of HCS SB 58 in 2023, a bill sponsored by Governor Dunleavy, regarding Medicaid eligibility for postpartum mothers. More information about Preterm Births  In a 2025 study conducted by Dr. Micah Hahn from UAA's Institute of Circumpolar Health, there are a myriad of factors that contribute to preterm births: • Pre-pregnancy diabetes • Hypertension • Tobacco during pregnancy • Less than eleven prenatal care visits • Travelling for birth • Inadequate prenatal care More information regarding Congenital Syphilis in  Alaska  Based on information provided in a State of Alaska Epidemiology Bulletin (which is provided in this packet), "Congenital Syphilis (CS) is a form of syphilis passed from the mother to the developing fetus." CS has serious health risks, which include: "neurologic or musculoskeletal disabilities or death of the fetus." According to former Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink, CS is "A completely preventable condition." Access to prenatal care covered by an FP SPA could help decrease the rates of CS in Alaska. 4:37:15 PM CHAIR MINA opened public testimony on HB 185. After ascertaining there was no one who wished to testify, she closed public testimony. 4:37:31 PM REPRESENTATIVE PRAX noted that the bill specifies that the family planning services would be for those who are not pregnant. He asked for confirmation that that "eliminates paying for abortion services." REPRESENTATIVE HALL confirmed that is correct. In response to follow-up comments, she spoke briefly about increasing access to care, then she deferred to a representative from the Department of Health (DOH). 4:40:37 PM KRISTIN DELFINO, Division Operations Manager, Director's Office, Division of Healthcare Services, Department of Health, stated that she is not aware of any specific programs where "an individual with congenital syphilis can come into a facility and gain eligibility through that avenue." She said there are programs for those who need hospitalization services where the hospital can preemptively determine eligibility for a period of time that must be verified through DOH's Division of Public Assistance. REPRESENTATIVE PRAX concluded that that may be an issue for another time but it is not the point of HB 185. He reiterated his remark about abortion, noting that it would not be correct to think the proposed legislation would cover it. 4:42:00 PM REPRESENTATIVE HALL underlined that the emphasis of the bill is for people who are not pregnant. 4:42:28 PM MR. JACKSON proffered that family planning typically includes abortion; however, an amendment passed by Congress in 1976 made federal funding for abortion services illegal. 4:43:18 PM The committee took a brief at-ease at 4:43 p.m. 4:44:00 PM REPRESENTATIVE GRAY asked, "Is there any way that this bill could be used to fund abortions." REPRESENTATIVE HALL answered, "Absolutely not." 4:44:29 PM CHAIR MINA announced that HB 185 was held over.