CSHB 393(HES)-INSURANCE FOR COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING  CHAIR BUNDE announced CSHB 393(HES) to be up for consideration. HEATH HILYARD, staff to Representative Tom Anderson, addressed CSHB 393(HES) for the sponsor. He said in the last meeting there was some concern about the fiscal note from the Division of Retirement and Benefits. Since that time, he had talked with the Division of Insurance and the Division of Retirement and Benefits and sought a legal opinion from Legislative Legal. As a result, the fiscal note before them was revised. 2:00:17 PM MELANIE MILHORN, Director, Division of Retirement and Benefits, Department of Administration (DOA), said the Department administers two health plans - one for retirees and one for active employees. The governing authority for both those plans is found in AS 39.30.090. The state became self-insured in 1997. The active plan covers approximately 5,300 employees and 8,900 dependents for a total of 14,400 active people. The retiree plan provides system paid health care coverage for PERS, TRS, JRS (Judicial Retirement System) and EPORS (Elected Public Officers Retirement System) members - approximately 29,300 retirees and their dependent number of 24,700 for a total of 54,000 retirees. The Commissioner of the Department of Administration has the authority to make changes to both plans in AS 39.30.090 - .095. The Division has not taken a position on policy aspect of CSHB 393(HES), but agrees that preventative services are in the best interests of employees and their families. They can also reduce costs to a plan. MS. MILHORN explained that in preparing for the very first hearing on this bill, the Division was under the erroneous assumption that colorectal cancer screening would be mandated coverage for the retiree plan in accordance with AS 21.42. However, further discussions with the Division of Insurance and Department of Law and revealed that it is not a mandated coverage and the Division of Retirement and Benefits is not regulated under the Division of Insurance. So, there would not be an impact to the state's active or retiree plan. The active plan already covers preventative services such as colorectal cancer screening if a physician requests that testing be done within 90 days of an annual exam. It does not cover preventative services for the retiree plan with the exception of those found in AS 21.42 - PSA testing, mammograms and pap smears. Those were not under the retiree plan, but the Commissioner of the Department of Administration had voluntarily amended it to include those preventative coverages. CHAIR BUNDE asked if the process to get colorectal screenings included in the retirees plan would be to go through the Commissioner of the Department of Administration who has the authority to make the same decision he made on breast cancer screening for active employees. MS. MILHORN replied yes. 2:05:33 PM EMILY NENON, Director, Alaska Government Relations, American Cancer Society, said she had testified at the previous hearing and was available to answer questions. 2:05:55 PM SENATOR SEEKINS moved to pass CSHB 393(HES) from committee with individual recommendations and attached revised fiscal note. Senators Davis, Ellis, Ben Stevens, Seekins and Chair Bunde voted yea; and CSHB 393(HES) moved from committee.