HB 345-INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR CONTRACEPTIVES  3:34:37 PM CHAIR SEATON announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 345, "An Act relating to insurance coverage for contraceptives and related services; relating to medical assistance coverage for contraceptives and related services; and providing for an effective date." [In front of the committee was the proposed CS for HB 345, labeled 29-LS1503\H, adopted as the working draft on April 5, 2016.] 3:35:43 PM REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO, pointing out that the State of Alaska, as an employer, had the ability to set the health benefits that it provided, asked if the state employees were included in the proposed bill. REPRESENTATIVE MATT CLAMAN, Alaska State Legislature, replied that it was the intent of the proposed bill to include them. REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO asked if there was any change to the non-Medicaid population for what could be prescribed or the length of the prescriptions, or was the proposed bill an attempt to ensure that payment came from insurance coverage rather than the individual. 3:36:47 PM MEGHAN CAVANAUGH, Staff, Representative Matt Claman, Alaska State Legislature, asked if he could repeat the question. REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO directed attention to page 2, lines 10 - 12, of the proposed bill. He asked if any copayments or deductibles had been eliminated which were required in the health insurance policy. MS. CAVANAUGH replied that copayments were not being limited or changed under the proposed bill. She said that Department of Health and Social Services would be instructed to change its plan for Medicaid recipients. It was not a change for who was covered for prescriptive contraceptives, but only for how much could be received at any given time. 3:38:25 PM CHAIR SEATON asked for clarification that for an insurer which provided coverage for oral contraceptives, the proposed bill would allow the recipient to receive a year's worth of coverage; however, if an insurer did not offer coverage for oral contraceptives, this would not change the coverage. MS. CAVANAUGH relayed that under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), prescriptive contraceptive coverage was mandated, so that this proposed bill was also mandating the coverage. 3:39:31 PM REPRESENTATIVE WOOL asked about the length of the prescription, as it was currently limited to three months. MS. CAVANAUGH replied that this was correct. REPRESENTATIVE WOOL mused that the proposed bill would allow coverage for a year; thereby, doctors could prescribe for a year. He asked if a person had to pick up the full year prescription at one time, or could they return for further refills, without another prescription, until that full year prescription had been filled. MS. CAVANAUGH explained that the purpose was for the insured to pick up the entire prescription at one time; however, it was acceptable to only receive a shorter prescription. 3:41:07 PM REPRESENTATIVE WOOL asked if, under the current law, a person would need a new prescription in three months if they only picked up a three month prescription. He asked if there could be a year prescription that was filled at three month intervals. MS. CAVANAUGH replied that the doctor could prescribe for refills, but the person would need to return to the pharmacy for the refill. 3:41:48 PM REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN stated that there was a practical matter to a 12-month prescription which the pharmacy only filled for 6 months, as most pharmacies did not keep track of unfilled prescriptions. 3:43:01 PM REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO moved to report CSHB 345, Version 20- LS1503\H, Wallace, 3/22/16, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 345(HSS) was reported out of the House Health and Social Services Standing Committee.