SB 133-ELECTRONIC HEALTH INFO EXCHANGE SYSTEM 1:35:03 PM CHAIR DAVIS announced consideration of SB 133. SENATOR PASKVAN moved to adopt the proposed committee substitute for SB 133, labeled 26-LS0489\ S, as the working document. CHAIR DAVIS objected for purposes of discussion. SENATOR PASKVAN said this amendment is in conformance with what the members expressed interest in. CHAIR DAVIS asked if Senator Paskavan would explain the amendment to those who are present. SENATOR PASKVAN deferred to his aid, Jake Hamburg. 1:36:31 PM JAKE HAMBURG, staff to Senator Paskvan, advised that Paul Sherry, Rebecca Madison [Alaska eHealth Network] and the deputy commissioner are on line to answer questions as needed. He said there were three changes made to the original bill based on discussions during the last committee hearing. · First, new language on page 4, lines 7-10 provides the department with added flexibility while maintaining multiple stakeholder representation. Under that new language, the department has the option to designate one entity or a combination of entities to fulfill the purposes of Section 2. · Second, the department's duties were clarified by adding Section 18.23.305 in the CS on page 4, beginning at line 22 through page 5, line 2. · Third, there was a request for more specific member representation to sit on an advisory or governing board for the designated entity and that can be found on page 4, lines 11-21 addressing more specific governing board membership requirements. The privacy protections outlined in the original bill were preserved and are unchanged. 1:38:35 PM CHAIR DAVIS removed her objection. CHAIR DAVIS advised that there are people who have signed up to testify via teleconference and she would like to allow them to speak before moving the bill out. 1:39:30 PM PAUL SHERRY, President/CEO, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), Anchorage, AK, said that ANTHC has worked with the department since the last hearing on this bill to clarify these roles and the provision for the stakeholder involvement. They appreciate what they understand as the department's readiness to move forward with this and urge the legislature and the department to move expeditiously to take advantage of stimulus funds in this area. They also continue to encourage the department to work closely with the Alaska eHealth Network, which has put a couple of years of advance work into this process and is ready to move the effort forward collaboratively. CHAIR DAVIS said John Sherwood and Mike Lesman from the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) are also available to speak to the bill. 1:41:00 PM BILL STREUR, Deputy Commissioner, Medicaid and Health Care Policy, Department of Health and Social Services, Juneau, AK, said the department supports movement toward electronic health records, health information exchanges and health information technology in general; this is the future of health care in the State of Alaska. The stimulus bill provides a rare opportunity for the state to receive significant financial assistance from the federal government, but the state has to follow certain rules and guidelines for that money. The department has worked very closely with the bill sponsor and others in the community to ensure they have the latitude to meet those guidelines. They remain concerned with the distribution of downstream costs, but believe they can be fairly distributed as the program develops. The CS has addressed the department's concerns and they support this bill. 1:42:06 PM CHAIR DAVIS came back to the bill and said she was ready to entertain a motion. 1:42:17 PM SENATOR THOMAS moved to report CS for SB 133 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There being no objection, CSSB 133(HSS) moved from committee.