CSSCR 11(FIN) - LONG-TERM CARE TASK FORCE Number 1460 CHAIRMAN BUNDE announced the next item on the agenda was CSSCR 11 (FIN), Creating the Long-Term Care Task Force. He asked Marilyn Wilson to come forward to present CSSCR 11(FIN). Number 1450 MARILYN WILSON, Legislative Assistant to Senator Bert Sharp, Alaska State Legislature, read the following sponsor statement into the record: "As Alaska's senior community grows, it is necessary that we plan for the long-term care and needs of these citizens. While it is the desirable goal of most families to provide home care for their elderly parents, the reality is that most will live in a long-term care facility. Either way, the costs of providing long- term care is becoming insurmountable to the state and to our private citizens. In an effort to assure our senior citizens are getting the best care possible, the legislature in 1996, established a working group to analyze long-term care services available in the state and their projected costs. Senate Concurrent Resolution 11 will create a long-term care task force. Their mission is to review the findings of the working group and to develop an equitable plan for providing an actuarially sound and affordable long-term care options for all of Alaska's senior citizens. I urge your support in passing this very important and necessary resolution." CHAIRMAN BUNDE asked if there were questions of the sponsor's representative. Number 1527 REPRESENTATIVE BRICE said the legislature passed a moratorium on long-term care a couple years ago and there was a provision within that bill that established yet another long-term care task force. He asked how the working group established in CSSCR 11 related to the findings of the previous task force. MS. WILSON asked if Representative Brice was referring to the long- term care working group? REPRESENTATIVE BRICE affirmed that. MS. WILSON said, "This is the findings that the task force has to look at and take into consideration." CHAIRMAN BUNDE asked Marie Darlin to come before the committee to present her testimony at this time. Number 1575 MARIE DARLIN, Legislative Chairman, National Association of Retired Federal Employees, testified in support of CSSCR 11(FIN). She said resolutions had been passed at the last two statewide conventions in support of this legislation. It is the association's position that the study done in 1996 was merely the beginning and this needs to go forward in the establishment of the state's plan for long- term care for the senior population. She pointed out there are other individuals besides senior citizens who need long-term care. CHAIRMAN BUNDE thanked Ms. Darlin for her comments and asked Vera Gazaway to present her comments at this time. Number 1630 VERA GAZAWAY, Representative, Older Persons Action Group, said the Older Persons Action Group has also studied in-home health care and endorses almost to the word, the comments of the previous speaker. CHAIRMAN BUNDE thanked Ms. Gazaway and asked if there was further testimony on CSSCR 11(FIN). Hearing none, he closed public testimony. Number 1687 REPRESENTATIVE BRICE said the Governor's Council on Special Education Disabilities is considered the coordinating council for the state of Alaska for individuals with disabilities. He asked what that council's involvement is with the long-term task force? MS. WILSON said the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Social Services serves as a nonvoting member of the Long-Term Care Task Force and while it's not addressed in CSSCR 11(FIN), she thought it would be up to the commissioner to make that decision. CHAIRMAN BUNDE asked if there were further questions. Hearing none, he asked the wishes of the committee. Number 1750 REPRESENTATIVE JOE GREEN made a motion to move CSSCR 11(FIN) from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSSCR 11(FIN) moved from the House Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee.