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.