HB 234-INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR TELEMEDICINE                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:30:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR OLSON announced  that the first order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 234, "An  Act relating to insurance  coverage for                                                               
mental health benefits provided through telemedicine."                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:30:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HUGHES moved  to adopt  the committee  substitute                                                               
(CS) for  HB 234,  labeled 29-LS1251\W,  Wallace, 4/8/16,  as the                                                               
working document.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR OLSON objected for discussion purposes.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:31:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ANITA  HALTERMAN, Staff  to  Representative  Liz Vazquez,  Alaska                                                               
State  Legislature   related  that  the  Version   W,  moves  the                                                               
provisions of  law from AS  21.54, the group plan  provisions, to                                                               
AS  21.42,  the  insurance  contract provisions.    The  original                                                               
applies to both, and Version  W moves those provisions as written                                                               
from one section of state law to another.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:32:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  OLSON  removed his  objection.    There being  no  further                                                               
objection, Version W was before the committee.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR OLSON opened public testimony.   After ascertaining that no                                                               
one wished to testify, public testimony was closed.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:33:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES  moved to  report the  committee substitute                                                               
for  HB  234, labeled  29-LS1251\W,  out  of committee  with  the                                                               
accompanying fiscal notes and individual recommendations.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:33:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JOSEPHSON objected,  saying  it is  a good  bill,                                                               
other than encouraging  a system wherein people  never meet their                                                               
therapist,  which would  not  be best  practice.   He  reiterated                                                               
previous testimony  wherein this decision would  ultimately be up                                                               
to the therapeutic community, and removed his objection.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES  referred to  comments that the  bill opens                                                               
an  avenue  for  Outside, Alaska-licensed  providers.    Although                                                               
there is a  shortage [of providers] in some areas  of Alaska, the                                                               
committee should be aware of the aforementioned possibility.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:34:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
There being no further objection,  CSHB 234(L&C) was reported out                                                               
of the House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.