HB 300-AIR AMBULANCE SERVICES  4:15:33 PM CHAIR OLSON announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 300, "An Act relating to air ambulance service providers, air ambulance membership agreements, and regulation of air ambulance service providers and air ambulance membership agreements by the division of insurance; and providing for an effective date." 4:15:41 PM REPRESENTATIVE CATHY MUNOZ, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor of HB 300, explained that this bill would allow popular air ambulance membership programs to continue serving Alaskan residents. She related a personal scenario in which her late father was medevaced from Juneau two years ago and it saved his life. These emergency transports are very expensive and can cost $50,000 to $100,000 per flight. The membership program allowed Alaskans to buy a membership, which served as the copay. If a person was medevaced and used primary insurance, the copay was waived if a person had a membership. 4:17:00 PM CHAIR OLSON asked whether the membership would cover the entire amount if the person did not have insurance. REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ answered that the person would need primary insurance coverage in order purchase a membership. 4:17:34 PM REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ said she heard from 1,300 Juneauites who were participants of Airlift Northwest. She indicated that about three to four months ago, the Division of Insurance (DOI) ruled that Airlift Northwest could not provide the [insurance] service any longer since Airlift Northwest has specifically reorganized its company under the University of Washington's umbrella organization. In doing so, the program was no longer eligible under the DOI's licensing requirements. Again, she has heard from many constituents, of whom many are retirees worried about losing the membership plan. This bill will allow membership to continue. Passage of HB 300 would help 1,300 Juneauites, 460 individuals from Sitka, 450 from Wrangell, 330 from Ketchikan, and 200 in Petersburg. She explained the figures are from one company that provides medvac services, but there are other companies that can provide the service as well. She noted letters of support in members' packets from the Alaska Commission on Aging, the Southeast Alaska Fishermen's Alliance, and residents of Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka. 4:20:22 PM REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ stated that she has worked with the sponsor in the Senate on a companion bill. [HB 300 was held over.]