CSHB 195(L&C)am-STATE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN  CHAIR CON BUNDE called the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee meeting to order at 8:03 a.m. Present were Senators Stevens, Seekins French and Bunde. The Chair announced CSHB 195(L&C)am to be up for consideration. SENATOR GARY STEVENS moved to adopt SCS CSHB 195(L&C). There were no objections and it was adopted. CHAIR BUNDE explained that the committee substitute (CS) removed all the language about the optional programs that had many people concerned and leaves some language that allows federal funding. MS. HEATHER NOBREGA, staff to Representative Rokeberg, said that was correct. CHAIR BUNDE asked about the language on page 2, subsection (b), which discusses people who are not eligible for coverage. He asked for an explanation of the statement "including self insured plans, health care trusts and welfare trusts". MS. KATIE CAMPBELL, Life and Health Actuary, explained that section is language from existing law. It was used because it is an eligibility requirement that was misplaced under "Exclusions" in the initial legislation. If someone is eligible for the federal programs under the federal law, that person has to be let into the plan. MS. MICHELLE CASSANO, President, American Diabetes Association, said she is very concerned about what would happen with this coverage if someone opts out of chronic-disease coverage and is then diagnosed. CHAIR BUNDE explained that all of the optional language in section 1 was deleted from the committee substitute that the committee just adopted. MS. CASSANO responded that she would not comment further in that case, but would be a resource for the committee. MS. LAURA SARCONE, Alaska Nurse Practitioners' Association, said deleting section 1 took care of her concerns also. She wanted to make sure that reimbursement for nurse midwifery coverage for obstetrical care was not made optional. CHAIR BUNDE affirmed that language was gone. SENATOR SEEKINS moved to pass SCS CSHB 195(L&C), version V, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note. SENATORS STEVENS, FRENCH, SEEKINS and BUNDE voted yea and SCS CSHB 195(L&C) moved from committee.