topAlaska Health Policy Review
comprehensive, authoritative, nonpartisan
March 4, 2011 - Vol 5, Issue 8
In This Issue
Important Information About this Newsletter
Interview with Diane Kaplan of Rasmuson Foundation
Please Respect Our Copyright
Affordable Care Act One-year Anniversary March 23
Health Policy Calendar
Bill Watch: Bills on the Move
Bill Watch: Drugs
Bill Watch: Health Professional Workforce and Health Education
Bill Watch: Medical Assistance and Health Insurance
Bill Watch: Mental Health Issues
Bill Watch: State Boards and Issues
Bill Watch: Family Health Issues
Bill Watch: Worker's Compensation
Bill Watch: Public Safety
Bill Watch: General Health Policy
Bill Watch: Bill Tracking Methodology
AHPR Staff and Contributors
Resources
From the Editor

Dear Reader:

Fifty-five elected delegates struggled for 75 days, beginning November 8, 1955, to craft the constitution of the State of Alaska. As a public health kind of guy, I often wondered about the background discussion behind Article 7 of the constitution, "Health, Education and Welfare." The first three sections of that Article deal with details of education, but the next two consider health and welfare. They are short, bold, and to the point.

Section 7.4 is entitled, "Public Health." This section contains only one sentence. It states quite simply, "The legislature shall provide for the promotion and protection of public health." That strikes me as a sweeping and unequivocal statement. Section 7.5 is entitled, "Public Welfare." It too contains only one sentence, and states in a direct and assertive manner, "The legislature shall provide for public welfare." These are powerful statements. I seriously doubt that contemporary legislators could ever agree to statements like that yet there they are in the Constitution.

Recently I decided to take a quick look at the verbatim minutes of the constitutional convention to see if I could get a peek at the discussions behind these two important articles. I had only a little time to do a superficial review of the minutes, but even so the discussion I found from some 56 years ago was surprisingly relevant today. Here are some interesting and suggestive excerpts from the minutes from the 48th day of the Constitutional Convention:

SUNDBORG: I have no amendment, but I have a question which I would like to direct to the Chairman of the Committee. Would the language of Section 2, as it now stands, permit programs of state health insurance? For instance in the nation of Norway there is a system under which the nation by taking money out of your pay check, the pay check of each employee, every month or week or whenever he is paid, sets up a statewide system of public health benefits. Great Britain does the same thing. Now would the same thing be permitted under the language of Section 2 in your opinion?"

 

PRESIDENT EGAN: Miss Awes.

 

AWES: Well, to tell the truth about it, I had not considered that particular problem. I think this section would probably permit it unless some other section prohibits it.


Should the State of Alaska consider a national health service like Norway or England? Heck of an idea in the mid-1950s, or even now! Here is another snippet:

This section gives the education department, or other departments, the right to seek out the child, independent of his religious affiliation, to help him to become a strong and useful part of society wherein it touches health and matters of welfare [referring to a discussion about the section, "Health, Education, and Welfare"].


Images of school-based health care for kids? Darn good idea in my view. Here is another interesting exchange:

BUCKALEW: Mr. President, I was on the Committee, but after more mature consideration I believe that Sections 2 and 3 are absolutely unnecessary. The state has the power under the general welfare clause. [The rest of this statement is omitted to save space]

 

ARMSTRONG: I object. I feel that these sections give a check and a philosophy we need within the constitution. I think to delete them would be shirking our duty and pointing the way in both welfare and public health. These are important parts of our living day by day, and when we say the promotion of the protection of public health, we weighed those words. When we came to Section 3 and we said, "the standard of living compatible with health and human dignity", we weighed those words, and I think we put them in there because of the philosophy that we held that these departments should carry out. I believe they should be retained.


Our State Constitution almost included the words "...the standard of living compatible with health and human dignity." Here is a bit more discussion about that concept:

ROBERTSON: This Section 3 which is one reason why I seconded Mr. Kilcher's motion, is that I don't know what person is unable, what extent of inability do they have to have to be unable, and I don't understand what a standard of living compatible with health and human dignity is; whose health and whose human dignity? We all have different modes of living, and what comparative standards are you going to put in order to comply with that section? Mr. Armstrong, you explained that a little bit.

 

ARMSTRONG: I think that when it says that the state may provide for this system of public welfare for persons unable to maintain the standard of living, there are all types of people who can be considered indigent. There isn't any way of pointing that out, someone who has to go to a TB ward is an indigent, yet he may have what seems to be a normal adequate income, yet the loss of his income while in the TB sanitarium makes it absolutely impossible for him to pay the bills that would be involved, so this would be a sliding scale on the standard of living, his needs and health and human dignity. I think we were trying to get away from a clause that might indicate that you had to be a pauper and really down and out before you would arrive at the place you could crawl up to the welfare department for help. There are many areas of life where a little help to a widow, to an orphan, to a pioneer who needs help, brings them to the place of self-respect, and dignity and self-respect certainly go hand in hand.


What is the contemporary role of the state of Alaska regarding the health and welfare of the people? The constitution raises a pretty high bar, but it appears that the last time we had a really serious discussion about this was decades ago at the constitutional convention. Perhaps it is time to explore the meaning of these two articles once again.

Lawrence D. Weiss PhD, MS
Editor, AHPR
[email protected]

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Interview with Diane Kaplan of Rasmuson Foundation 


Diane KaplanDiane Kaplan has been the president of the Anchorage-based Rasmuson Foundation since 2001. Her roots with the foundation go back to 1995, when she became its first part-time employee. Prior to her association with the Rasmuson Foundation, Kaplan was a consultant specializing in management and government relations services to philanthropic and nonprofit organizations and Native corporations and Tribes, and the president and chief executive officer of the Alaska Public Radio Network. Kaplan serves on numerous local and national boards.

linksLinks to selected topics?


What is the Rasmuson Foundation?  
Taking a broad view of health
How does the Rasmuson Foundation determine who gets funding?
It's about building capacity in the state not tackling a particular issue
About two-thirds of funding goes to health and human services
Rasmuson Foundation designed for perpetuity
National health reform impacts in Alaska
Where are all of the advocacy organizations in Alaska?

whatWhat is the Rasmuson Foundation?

AHPR: You are the president of Rasmuson Foundation. Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.

Kaplan: I was born in Brooklyn, New York. I went to school in Philadelphia and lived there a number of years. Got involved in radio while I was in school and started pursuing that as a career. Spent a few years in Northern California, running the UC Berkeley radio station and then working for the California Public Broadcasting Commission and then came to Alaska to be CEO of the Alaska Public Radio Network in its early days and did that for quite a long time. And then did consulting for about seven years -- government relations management consulting, that kind of thing. And shortly into that, came on as the first part-time staff person for the Rasmuson Foundation. And when the foundation received the proceeds of Elmer Rasmuson's estate in 2000-2001, I concluded my consulting work and became the full-time CEO. So that was in 2001.

" ... what we hope to do is really to be a catalyst for good ideas and to provide social capital for outstanding leaders to pursue their great ideas, to leverage our funding with other partners who might have similar interests to what we have."


AHPR: I didn't realize the foundation was so new.

Kaplan: It's 55 years old but it was very small for a long time so I became familiar with it when I first moved here in the early 80s. At that time, the grant making, and up through the year 1999 or so was a total of about $300,000 or $400,000 a year. So it was quite modest, lots of small grants to a lot of organizations.

AHPR: I wonder if you could talk about the vision and mission of Rasmuson Foundation?

Kaplan: Sure. The foundation is very much a family foundation, started by a family and there is still a lot of family involvement in it. We are very mindful of Elmer Rasmuson's vision for what he hoped Alaska would become and how the foundation would help that. He had a pretty big vision for the state that was very much statewide, and we have a very broad vision, broad mission statement to be a catalyst for positive change in Alaska, to give Alaskans a better life. There are a lot of ways that you can do that. We have purposely stayed very broad because in many ways we are a newish foundation and there are very few sources for social capital in the state for all areas of interest and in all areas of the state.

At this point in time, and I suspect for some time into the future, we'll continue to be very broad in our approach. What we hope to do is really to be a catalyst for good ideas and to provide social capital for outstanding leaders to pursue their great ideas, to leverage our funding with other partners who might have similar interests to what we have. We have a strong focus on growing philanthropy in Alaska. We have our particular ways of going about what we do. We have the particular areas that have been important to us since day one and then some newer areas with the new funds that we have available. It makes some other kinds of things possible as well. 

takingTaking a broad view of health

AHPR: Rasmuson appears to make awards in a wide variety of areas such as arts and humanities, education and community development, and health just as you were saying. Since 2003, Rasmuson has awarded over $28 million in the field of health, that's according to your own records, which is about 17 percent of all awards over this period. In general terms, what kinds of health-related programs have received these awards?

Kaplan: The categories that you see are defined by our industry so there can be some research gathered across the country. We use those categories just because we [want] to assist in that effort and it's useful to us to see what's happening on a national basis. It's interesting: there is a foundation that's fairly new on the scene that's called the Mat-Su Health Foundation -- that you are probably familiar with -- they're the Mat-Su Health Foundation but I would bet you that things that we would characterize in other areas you will see funded by the Mat-Su Health Foundation. They take a really broad view of what is health and what makes a healthy person, and I would say we do the same thing.

"We have a think tank that's been going in a very quiet way for a year and a half now on substance abuse. We have gathered the people we think are the best minds on this subject in the state to focus some attention and see if we can move the needle on this very pressing issue in the state."


So what you will see in that health category are things that are very traditionally identified as health: oral health, health clinics, that kind of thing. But we view a lot of what we do in areas like the arts and culture, and social services and so on as being part of overall health of families and of individuals in the state.

Specifically, the things that we would label health would be primary care, which could be everything from establishment of clinics, or capital improvements for clinics. It would be new approaches to delivery of health care. That could be anything from workforce development types of things like the dental health aide therapist program that we've made a big investment in, [it] could be expansion of insurance coverage. We have a big initiative with the Foraker Group around that. It's been one of our most challenging initiatives I would say. We have a think tank that's been going in a very quiet way for a year and a half now on substance abuse. We have gathered the people we think are the best minds on this subject in the state to focus some attention and see if we can move the needle on this very pressing issue in the state.

We also have done a fair amount of public policy type work in the health area for the dental health aides. In terms of insurance issues with the state of Alaska, the dental health aides in particular had a lot of public policy work in Washington D.C. because a lot of the business plan around that requires cooperation from federal agencies and the ability to bill Medicaid and that kind of thing. So I would say it's pretty broad. And then the areas that I would say are closely aligned would be in the areas of child abuse prevention, domestic violence, mental health -- we have a strong interest in that area -- developmental disabilities, really everything related to it.
 

determineHow does the Rasmuson Foundation determine who gets funding?


AHPR: So just to go a little bit further in that, it sounds like you give money to individual programs, individual nonprofit organizations, maybe hospitals. Could you just talk a little bit about who exactly gets the money and what exactly did they do with it?

Kaplan: Well, we try and be quite broad about that. In order to receive our funds, you have to be either a nonprofit corporation that's designated as a tax-exempt organization by the Internal Revenue Service, or a federally recognized tribe, or a unit of government, which could be a city, a borough, the state of Alaska even, or a federal agency for that matter. The only exception to that is in our arts program. We have a special ruling from the IRS to give grants to artists. But other than that, it's organizations, and it could be any organization that falls within those very broad categories.

AHPR: Does the foundation have an overall health policy or a vision that guides awards in the health sector?

Kaplan: We really don't. ... You have foundations, and Gates Foundation is one that everybody has heard of, so I will use it as an example. And they are actually striving to eliminate major diseases from the world. So they'll be able to see if they're successful at doing that. Either the disease will be eliminated or it won't. In terms of work, let's say on something like malaria, you can measure the death rates around that.

We have never, for example, said we want to reduce the incidence of low birth weight babies in Alaska from this percentage to that but we do watch those statistics pretty closely. We see a lot of improvement in that area and we really think that has a lot to do with the expansion of the Native health system in rural Alaska, the construction of state-of-the-art clinics, the expansion of telemedicine so the local providers can have the advantage of connection to major medical facilities, the improvement of equipment and data gathering and all of those things as well as on the prevention side, some of the healthy lifestyles things around recreational facilities for kids, and child abuse prevention, those kinds of things.

" ... we've made significant investments in oral health. We certainly hope to be able to measure in the future that those investments have made a difference but you'll never be able to say with certainty that it was our dollars that actually made the difference."


But it's really, really hard to say that any particular grant that we made, even if we want to approach it that way, was the reason that that statistic changed. So we don't spend a lot of time worrying about that. In the area of oral health, for example, we know that Alaska has the highest or one of the highest rates of caries of any place in the country and [the] Alaska Native population in particular. We've made significant investments in oral health. We certainly hope to be able to measure in the future that those investments have made a difference, but you'll never be able to say with certainty that it was our dollars that actually made the difference. That's why we don't get too wound up about that.

Generally I think we want to see Alaska be a healthy place, not just for kids to be born, but to live. Actually, Alaska is a very healthy place to be born if you look at the measures of environment and things like that. We have the lowest rate of low birth weight babies of any of the 50 states but by the time kids are teenagers, we have the highest death rate for teenagers, so something's happening in between the time kids are born and they get to be a teenager. They go from arriving in a very healthy place, and then living in a very unhealthy place that contributes to their either poor health or death in some cases. Whether it's through accidents, suicide, substance abuse, or whatever it might be, or murders, or those kinds of things.

capacityIt's about building capacity in the state not tackling a particular issue

AHPR: In terms of proposals relating to health issues, do you have some sort of screening criteria that are specific to health issues? For example, you might say, "This year we are going to emphasize dentistry and really encourage more people to apply in that area." Or you might say, "Generally speaking, we like to make awards to clinics, for example, that are actually serving people rather than some more intellectual capacity like policy or something like that."

Kaplan: Not in a very formal way. I would say in an informal way, yes. It's more about building capacity in the state than tackling a particular issue. So, as an example, when the Denali Commission had a lot of money for health clinics, we saw that as a moment in time where we could have an impact in taking advantage of that opportunity, which turned out to be pretty short lived -- it may be over, in fact. The Denali Commission had a requirement that in order to qualify for the federal funding, you had to have local match. We, in many cases, used our capital to assist local communities in qualifying for those funds and in so doing, we're a little bossy about how we did it.

We only supported communities where there was a local investment. In most cases, providing land or something like that was not enough. It really had to be a local financial investment. We were really using that opportunity to promote philanthropy, to promote buy-in from those communities -- that it's not just somebody's giving you money and that's why you're doing it but you have to have some skin in the game. As far as we're concerned, if you don't believe in that, you can go elsewhere for the money.

"We really try and not be the government and be as flexible as we can be and that's the advantage of having a private foundation on the scene I think for Alaska as we don't have that many rules."


Also creating partnerships with other funders around that. So certainly for that period of time where there's a lot of activity, I would say we're very warm towards proposals that would help a local community take advantage of those federal funds that were available. In the area of oral health, when we became involved with the dental health aide therapists, we had a particular program officer on our staff, Joel Niemeyer, who got pretty deeply into the issue. He doesn't have a dental background, he doesn't have a medical background, he is an engineer but he became very interested in this area and he saw the investment in the dental health aide as an opportunity for the Rasmuson Foundation to engage on this issue in a variety of different ways. He came forward as a staff member with a number of proposals that involved, in general, working with other partners and those were warmly received by our board of directors. So it really comes in different ways.

We really try and not be the government and be as flexible as we can be and that's the advantage of having a private foundation on the scene I think for Alaska as we don't have that many rules. We try not to have that many rules that would prevent a good idea for going forward just because we have a rule against it, which often happens and often frustrates creative people with a great idea. It doesn't fit into this box. It doesn't fit into that box. So we try as much as we can to be broad and open to ideas. So we really do consider every idea on its merits when it comes in the door here.

We have a few dedicated funds, let's say, for our sabbatical program, we have X number of dollars available, we do so many a year. But other than a dedicated program like that, it's come one, come all and we'll see. We try and talk with people before they submit a proposal. We encourage them to talk to us first and not to just send something in the mail. This is really the polar opposite of the government way of doing things because we don't want people to spend a lot of time developing a proposal if it doesn't have a lot of opportunity here.

And one thing I should say, one thing we are quite firm about: we are not interested in replacing government dollars with our dollars. If ever we see a situation where our investment would alleviate the government from what we consider its responsibility in public health, we try not to do that. We don't view that as a positive investment for the state.

two-thirdsAbout two-thirds of funding goes to health and human services


AHPR: Has the foundation always, or at least going back a decade or two, had an interest in making awards in the health sector, or is this a new or emerging focus? 

Kaplan: Well, in the early days, which I would call 1955 through 1999, so for 45 years, once a year, the board would convene and look at, in the early days letters and then a little later a short application that would come in, and the only thing we funded was small capital needs. It really didn't matter what type of organization submitted it. It could be a symphony orchestra, it could be a mental health clinic, it could be a hospital, it could be a women's shelter. I don't think there was any prejudice around the type of organization.

The interest was more in supporting organizations who fit a certain set of criteria that were very much aligned with Elmer Rasmuson's values. So it would be an organization that had a strong leader, a strong board of directors, was focused in its mission, had a lot of community support, those are things, was thrifty in its use of funds. So if the organization was in Alaska and met all those criteria, [it] had a pretty good chance whether it was for a computer or for carpeting or for a French horn or whenever it might be, I don't think there was really any prejudice around the type of organization.

As it turned out, if you look historically where the dollars went, it probably just more mapped what type of organizations we have in Alaska. So consistently about 25 percent of the money went for arts and about two thirds of the money for health and human services kinds of things but that may be just as much a reflection of the organizations we have in Alaska as anything else.

"Community development would be another area that's kind of new, particularly our work in the Mountain View neighborhood where we've had some significant investment."


AHPR: And since then, in the more recent time period?

Kaplan: I think it's pretty close to that, to be honest. I don't think it's changed much. We are doing a little more in education than we did, especially some major initiatives such as our fisheries initiative, which is one of our largest investments we've ever made with the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University system, the Alaska Native Science and Engineering projects are major... So when you add a $5 million education number that takes up a lot of space on the pie chart. Community development would be another area that's kind of new, particularly our work in the Mountain View neighborhood where we've had some significant investment.

But that could be for Special Olympics to get a new building or it could be any of those things. I would say also a fairly new area for us -- because there really wasn't a field to support before the last 10 years or so -- is the nonprofit sector itself, which we put a lot of emphasis in. That would be our support for the Foraker Group, which is a statewide technical assistance center, which serves any nonprofit and city and tribe and so on, the development of community foundations around the state and support for the Alaska Community Foundation, the Pick Click Give Campaign. Those are all what we would call nonprofit sector promotion of philanthropy kinds of things, and that's a fairly new area for the foundation.

perpetuityRasmuson Foundation designed for perpetuity


AHPR: Looking at some of the information on your website, it appears that the foundation awards have declined pretty dramatically in the last couple of years apparently due to the national and international financial crisis. How will this affect both the focus and quantity of health sector awards in the foreseeable future?

Kaplan: Our foundation is designed to be there in perpetuity. That was Elmer Rasmuson's wish. As a result of that, we are very conscious about maintaining the value of the corpus of the foundation. Some foundations exist for 10 or 20 years, like the Gates Foundation is only going to be ... I think it exists 10 years beyond the death of Bill and Melinda Gates so it will be the end of it.

That's not our plan. We are mindful of protecting the corpus so this is a resource that's available. We manage our giving to stay as close as we can to the legally required five percent distribution because we think, over time, if you take five percent distribution that you are required by law plus an average of three percent inflation, earning eight percent on an annualized basis is a pretty high bar to reach, especially now. So if you increased that five percent payout, it makes it even harder to just protect the corpus from deteriorating value. So that's sort of the overriding idea.

Also our tax law that we have in place right now discourages us from giving more in bad times, in bad economic times. It's designed to encourage foundations to give more. It actually has the opposite effect, and for various reasons it's been very hard to change it. Actually, the budget the president just put out has one positive thing and that's a flat tax for us, which I'm really thrilled about. Whether it'll make it through the Congress I don't know.

When confronted with an extreme drop in assets, as we were, we had two problems. One was cash flow and the other was maintaining the value of the corpus. Because of the timing of when Elmer Rasmuson passed away, when we received funding -- we had very little money in fixed income -- your traditional bond portfolio or anything like that, but very little and nothing in cash really. When there were no dividends coming, Wells Fargo, we still have a significant amount of that stock, not a huge amount - started with 100 percent, probably have about 10 percent now. It was always a great dividend paying stock that provided cash to pay you your grant when you send in your request. That stopped. Pretty much all payout from any alternative investments, real estate, distributions, stopped dead cold. All of a sudden, there was no income coming in from virtually any source.

"Where we are right now is in a little over a year ago, we cracked the door open a little and we started making some new, larger grants. ... I think we'll be pretty much back to normal business in 2012."


In order to pay out anybody's grant, we had to sell an asset of some kind and the only liquid assets that we had available was stock. At the time when Wells Fargo was down to $14 or $15 a share, it's like $33 right now, we didn't really want to sell it because it was undervalued. We did everything we could to be as strategic in when we sold assets so we weren't diminishing our value of the foundation.

This is a long way of saying, we just put a whole set of practices into place to do whatever we could to protect the value of the foundation, and that meant saying to organizations, "You have to give us 90 days' notice if you're going to need cash" so we could time the selling of assets, that kind of thing, which we had never had before. And also getting very conservative about what we were finding, starting to pay off commitments we had made in previous years rather than making new commitments without knowing what the years ahead would bring.

For about a year and a half or so, we accepted no new major proposals at all but we always continued our small grants program so it has never changed. Some of them, like our small capital grant program we were making, we had been doing maybe an average size grant of 21 and we, ... the program officers were to try and get that closer to $15,000, for example. But the program stayed intact.

So the big issue was big projects, big capital projects, our door was closed to those -- as were virtually every other foundation in the country for that period of time.

So, as it turns out, that coincided with earmarks dropping off, with the Denali Commission dropping off, sort of all at once, so organizations who had an idea and just got caught in that were really impacted quite a bit. Where we are right now is in a little over a year ago, we cracked the door open a little and we started making some new, larger grants. We actually did the first few in December 2009, we did a few more in June 2010, and a bunch more in November 2010, and we'll do more in July, absent any major events in the financial markets, I think we'll be pretty much back to normal business in 2012.

But it's been a struggle. So, an example would be Alaska Neighborhood Health Center, which I would say, is about as core an organization to our foundation as exists in terms of the service it provides, the fact that there really isn't anybody else to do what they do, the number of people they serve, the way they do business, their leadership. I mean everything about them makes them the type of organization if we're ever going to do a significant-sized grant, they would be in line and their grant was $500,000 for their new clinic which is still a lot of money. I'm sure they would've hoped for more from here but right now we're really not doing anything this year bigger than that. I think that will change next year assuming there are no other big, terrible things.

reformNational health reform impacts in Alaska


AHPR: You touched on this, but maybe you could develop it a little bit more, does the foundation have an interest specifically in health policy issues such as how the National Health Reform, the Affordable Care Act, will impact Alaska?

Kaplan: We don't really have the capacity to do too much in this area. We really have nobody, for example, on our staff whose only job is to do health issues. We have someone who has a good background in public health who is now in our program staff and when national health reform was under discussion and when that bill passed, one of the questions we asked ourselves was, "We support Neighborhood Health Center, we've supported Providence Family Practice, Anchorage Project Access, etc. And we figured all of these organizations are going to be impacted in some way by national health reform -- but how?"

" ... we decided, at that point, we're not [going to] make [health care reform]  a project. We'll be a catalyst to get everyone together and then hope the field itself would pick it up from there, and I'm not even sure if they have or haven't."


So, our program officer, Jayson Smart, started calling around and seeing [if there are] any efforts underway to get the medical community, health community together, to figure out what does this mean for Anchorage? Let's just start with Anchorage, and the answer was no. So we, again working with Providence and others, put together a health forum, which had a huge turnout. I wasn't in town that day unfortunately. Whether it had any long-term benefit we'll see, but it at least got everybody together in the same room who had an interest in this area to at least find out, share information, about what was going on. We decided, at that point, we're not [going to] make this a project. We'll be a catalyst to get everyone together and then hope the field itself would pick it up from there. I'm not sure if they have or haven't.

AHPR: And about how long ago was that forum?

Kaplan: It was about a year ago, last August I believe. But that's really all that we've done. The Foraker Insurance Plan, we've been working on that for years. The nonprofit sector is highly uninsured, underinsured, and we've been trying to get a health plan together that any nonprofit could be part of, and it's been a huge challenge but I think maybe we're about to turn the corner on it. We'll see.

I should say one other thing. I served on the governor's health transition team and Jayson was there when I couldn't be there. We just felt that was a good place for us to be just to see what the issues [were]. A lot of the issues were around Medicaid and Medicare, of course, which -- obviously we're impacted by it but we don't have any particular expertise around that. ...

AHPR: You mentioned the funding issues problems of Denali Commission. Are you in a position or do you have any desire to pick up some of their health-related projects?

Kaplan: We fund alongside them on lots of things, the clinics and the predevelopment fund where organizations can come to plan projects. In terms of picking up anything I'm not really sure, the dust hasn't really settled on what will be out there. We love the internship program that they fund at First Alaskans, for example, some of the workforce development funding. Some of their funding, though, has been episodic, the public broadcasting, infrastructure money, digital money, the women's shelters, and so on where we funded alongside them but those were limited term kinds of projects.

The place where it's really going to hit will be the health clinics and what it might mean for communities is they're [going to] have to come up with a new funding structure. There'll probably be fewer of them. And then we certainly might be open to a larger commitment of funds than we might have otherwise just because they don't have that source of funding available, but I suspect there'll just be fewer.

One of the things we've been involved with a little bit that they have too, well it doesn't really relate to the Denali Commission except I'm thinking Joel [Neimeyer], before he went to Denali Commission, was really involved around the whole thing with electronic health records, telemedicine, all that kind of stuff where he worked with the hospital association. Again, it's helpful when it's not just us but we've got partners with other foundations who have an interest in this area.

advocacyWhere are all of the advocacy organizations in Alaska?


AHPR: I wonder if you could talk a bit about the role that Rasmuson may or may not have in terms of community organizing and advocacy activities with respect to health issues, but could be broader than that. 

Kaplan: We're always kind of staggered by the lack of advocacy in this state. I have foundation colleagues come here every year, usually as part of a trip that we do at the end of the summer -- we have a foundation tour that we do every August. We'll have seven or eight foundation executives from other places in the U.S. come up and a lot of them have a progressive approach to what they do. A number of them say, "Where are all of the advocacy organizations in Alaska?" One in particular we've supported is called AFACT. They're the only really true grassroots advocacy group that's ever approached us for funding.

There are other association groups, the hospital association would be one, the Tribal Consortium would be another that do advocacy activities but the [Alaska] Primary Care Association has done a little around that too. There is surprisingly little true grassroots citizen effort around some of these issues in the state. I remember Colleen Bickford, the head of HUD, told me that every state gets an allocation of money for fair housing advocacy. It's usually a group where you can go to if you've been denied housing because of your race or sexual orientation or something like that. No one in Alaska has ever applied for that money is what she told me for years. So I think for the most part, organizations have been on the take and they have been reluctant to be really visible doing advocacy activities.

The arts are a perfect example. And I've been trying to poke them but it's ridiculous that none of the bed tax in Anchorage goes to the arts organizations. That's standard anywhere else in the country. Why won't they make an issue of it? It's not that they haven't thought of it. They don't want to upset the applecart.

But they are entitled to some of that money. They are a major part of the convention and visitors bureau's activities to draw people here; both to live here, to do business here, and to visit here. They should get part of that. When they have the van tours come in, travel agents, where do they take them? They take them to the Heritage Center and the Anchorage Museum. Yet where's any advocacy going on? There's very little. It's surprising to me, actually. I suspect it's just because people have been worried about speaking out.

The other one would be Alaska Intertribal Council at some periods in time, but it's been very inconsistent with its approach of leadership. Alaska Federation of Natives we can't support because they are not a tax-exempt organization. We've supported activities they're involved with like the Youth and Elders conference and things like that. How can we do the advocacy stuff ourselves?

AHPR: That is really interesting. I was not expecting you to say something like that. I wonder if you have any additional words or any additional subject you'd like to address for the readers of the Alaska State Health Policy Review as we wrap up our interview.

Kaplan: Just that I think that the thing that makes everybody's day around here, any individual who works in this office, any member of our board, the thing that gets us going is when a creative, intelligent individual walks in here with a great idea. That's what we love.

AHPR: Thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview.

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Affordable Care Act One-year Anniversary March 23


In celebration of this milestone event, a coalition of national groups interested in health care reform prepared outreach materials that can be distributed to your constituents and the media. The plan includes a different fact sheet focus for each day of the week of March 21, 2011.

Areas of concentration and related fact sheets are:  

March 21 - Seniors: Fact Sheet
March 22 - Small Business: Fact Sheet
March 23 - Patient's Bill of Rights: Fact Sheet
March 24 - Women: Fact Sheet
March 25 - Young Adults: Fact Sheet

There is also a general topic fact sheet available.

The group is also soliciting information about other planned events. To share your event, email Families USA or call 202-628-3030.

Press materials including template LTEs and Op-Eds are in the development stage. For more information, email Families USA or call 202-628-3030.

More information is available at on Off the Record.

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Health Policy Calendar

This calendar of health policy-related meetings is current as of March 3, 2011, at noon. Please visit the Alaska State Legislature's committee schedule for the most current legislative information, as the schedule is subject to change.

 

Monday, March 7, 2011 1:00 PM
What: House Judiciary Standing Committee
Where: Capitol 120; Juneau
Other information: HB 153 Controlled Substances, teleconferenced

Monday, March 7, 2011 1:30 PM
What: Senate Health and Social Services Standing Committee
Where: Butrovich 205; Juneau
Other information: SB 14 Protect Health Care Provider Conscience; SB 5 Medical Assistance Eligibility, teleconferenced

Monday, March 7, 2011 3:15 PM
What: House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee
Where: Barnes 124; Juneau
Other information: HB 164 Insurance: Health Care & Other, teleconferenced

 

Tuesday, March 8, 2011 3:00 PM
What: House Health and Social Services Standing Committee
Where: Capitol 106; Juneau
Other information: HB 164 Insurance: Health Care & Other, teleconferenced

Wednesday, March 9, 2011 1:30 PM
What: Senate Health and Social Services Standing Committee
Where: Butrovich 205; Juneau
Other information: Report on Homelessness; bills previously heard/scheduled, teleconferenced

Wednesday, March 9, 2011 3:15 PM
What: House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee
Where: Barnes 124; Juneau
Other information: HB 164 Insurance: Health Care & Others; HB 122 Naturopaths, teleconferenced

Wednesday, March 9, 2011 3:30 PM

What: House Health and Social Services Finance Committee

Where: Beltz 105 (TSBldg); Juneau

Other information: Other topics of interest to the committee not covered previously, Q&A, Governor's Budget Amendments, testimony by invitation only, final closeout, teleconferenced

 

Friday, March 11, 2011 3:15 PM
What: House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee
Where: Barnes 124; Juneau
Other information: HB 122 Naturopaths 

 

Sunday, March 13, 2011 6:30 PM Reception/7:00 PM Discussion

What: Toxic Trespass: Chemicals in our Environment and Effects on Reproductive Health

Where: Loussac Library Wilda Marston Theater

Other information: Sandra Steingraber, PhD. is an ecologist, author, and cancer

survivor who is recognized internationally as an authority on the environmental

links to cancer and human health. Join Dr. Sandra Steingraber for a discussion on the links between human rights and the environment, including an exploration of issues of concern to Alaskans such as large-scale development projects in Alaska and the global transport of toxics to the Arctic.   

 

Tuesday and Wednesday, March 15 and 16, 2011

What: Alaska Primary Care Association Member Meeting with Lawmakers in Juneau

Other information: APCA Advocacy Staff arranges appointments, talking-point

bootcamps, debriefing sessions and meals, and lodging discounts for Juneau Hill

Visits. Contact Regan Mattingly at  907-929-8115 for more information and to member RSVP.   

 

Wednesday, March 16, 2011 3:30 PM
What: Senate Health and Social Services Finance Subcommittee
Where: Beltz 105 (TSBldg)
Other information: Budget close out; testimony by invitation only, teleconferenced   

 

Thursday, March 17, 2011 6:00 to 8:30 PM 

 What: "New to Medicare" Seminars
Other information: Seminars include information about Medicare including Parts A, B, and D, and Medicare supplemental insurance or Medigap; how benefits are coordinated; and how to get help paying for Medicare and prescription drugs. For more information about the seminar call 800-478-6065, or 907-269-3680, or visit the Medicare Information Office web site.

  

Wednesday through Sunday, March 23 to 27, 2011

What: Alaska Primary Care Association Member Visit to Washington, D.C.

Other information: Contact Shelley Hughes at  907-929-2728 for more information and to member RSVP.                 

 

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Bill Watch: Bills on the Move

This week HB 172 Banned Substances in Children's Products was read for the
first time in the House and referred to House Health & Social Services and Labor & Commerce. Sponsored by Reps. Kerttula and Kawasaki, this bill prohibits the manufacture, sale, offer to sell, or otherwise commercially distribute goods and foods for children that contain bisphenol-A, and it sets a effective date of January 1, 2012.

Other bills that saw some action include:

HB 7 Synthetic Cannabinoids as Schedule IIA (CSHB 7) passed out of the House on 2/28/11 and it was transmitted to the Senate, where it was read for the first time and referred to the Senate Judiciary and Finance Committees on 3/01/11.

HB 28 Temp Licenses for Professionals was read for the first time in the Senate and it was referred to the Senate State Affairs and Labor & Commerce committees on 2/24/11.

Rep. Gruenberg added his name to the list of sponsors for HCR 5 Vitamin D Supplements on 2/25/11.

And in the Senate, SB 3 Funding for School Meals passed the Senate and was transmitted to the House on 2/28/11, and SB 27 Flame Retardants and Toxic Chemicals was heard in House Health and Social Services, where it was replaced with CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 27(HSS) "An Act relating to flame retardants and to the manufacture, sale, and distribution of products containing flame retardants; relating to a multistate chemicals clearinghouse; and providing for an effective date" and was referred to the Senate Finance Committee on 3/1/11.

The information is current as of March 3, at 10:30 AM.

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Bill Watch: Drugs

HB 7 Synthetic Cannabinoids as Schedule IIA
Committees and date of last action: CSHB 7 passed out of the House on 02/28/11 and transmitted to Senate, where it was read for the first time and referred to (S) JUD and FIN, 03/01/11
Sponsors: Reps. Munoz, Herron, Kerttula, Gatto, Lynn, Pruitt, Millet, Costello, and Thompson
Description: CSHB 7 (JUD) amends section 1. AS 11.71.160(f) by adding language and including 10 synthetic cannabinoids as schedule IIIA controlled substances.

HB 42 Prescription Drug Discounts
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) HSS, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Guttenberg
Description: This bill directs the Department of Health and Social Services to conduct a study of the feasibility of providing discounted prescription drug pricing to every person in the state who is not otherwise covered by a prescription drug plan. The Department of Health and Social Services shall, after conducting the study, prepare a report summarizing the study and submit the report to the legislature on or before January 1, 2012.

HB 43 Prescriptions and Generic Drugs
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) HSS, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Guttenberg
Description: This bill amends state statute that directs pharmacists to substitute generic drugs for brand name drugs except under specific circumstances, and directs the Department of Health and Social Services to approve and maintain a publicly available list of therapeutically equivalent drugs.

HB 44 Prescription Drug Program
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) HSS, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Guttenberg
Description: This bill adds a new section to the uncodified law of the State of Alaska that expands the state's role as a participant in the prescription drug marketplace, negotiating voluntary rebates from drug companies, and, subject to appropriation, using the rebates to make prescription drugs more affordable to the medical assistance program and to state residents.

HB 45 Drug Marketing Costs
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) HSS, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Guttenberg
Description: This bill adds a new section to the uncodified law of the State of Alaska that requires manufacturers or labelers of prescription drugs dispensed in this state, with some exceptions, to report marketing costs to the Department of Health and Social Services, and directs the department to provide a written report every two years to the attorney general and the legislature that analyzes the information submitted to the department during the two previous fiscal years.

HB 47 Clinical Trials of Drugs/Biol. Products
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) HSS, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Guttenberg
Description: The Department of Health and Social Services commissioner is directed to establish and maintain a comprehensive repository of information regarding all clinical trials conducted in the state, with some exemptions, including information about the results of clinical trials, regardless of outcome, for access by the public, based on standards established by regulation and information available from the National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, and from all other credible sources.

HB 50 Access to Licensed Premises
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) L&C and JUD, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Saddler
Description: This bill amends Alaska statute in regard to access by persons under 21 years of age to a club's licensed premises when alcoholic beverages are present.

HB 116 Correct Spelling of Lorazepam
Committees and date of last action: Fiscal note attached, passed (H) JUD and referred to (H) RLS, 02/18/11
Sponsor: Rules by request of legislative council
Description: An act correcting the spelling in Alaska statute of the word " lorazepam" and providing for an effective date.

HB 153 Controlled Substances
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to  (H) JUD and FIN, 02/11/11
Sponsor: Johansen
Description: This bill would add Salvia divinorum and Salvinorin A (Divinorin A) to the list of Schedule IIA controlled substances.

HB 167 Controlled Substances/Dextromethorphan
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) JUD and FIN, 02/23/11
Sponsor: Rep. Johansen by request
Description: This bill restricts the sale of products containing dextromethorphan in Alaska and makes violations a class B misdemeanor.

SB 17 Synthetic Cannabinoids as Schedule IIA
Committees and date of last action: Committees and date of last action: Heard in (H) HSS and referred to (H) JUD, then FIN, 02/11/11
Sponsor: Sen. Meyer
Description: Description: Section 1. AS 11.71.150(b) is amended to include certain synthetic cannabinoids as schedule IIA controlled substances.

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Bill Watch: Health Professional Workforce and Education

HB 28 Temp Licenses for Professionals
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time in Senate and referred to Senate State Affairs and Labor & Commerce, 02/24/11
Sponsors: Reps. Thomas, Tuck, Kerttula, Chenault, Lynn, Petersen, Millett, Johnson, and Herron
Description: Except as provided, the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, with respect to an occupation that it regulates under this title, shall by regulation establish criteria for issuing a temporary courtesy license to a nonresident, so that, on a temporary basis, the nonresident person may lawfully practice the person's occupation. CSHB 28 changes the language in the bill from Sec. 08.01.062. Courtesy licenses to Sec. 08.01.063. Military courtesy licenses.

HB 38 University Institutes of Law and Medicine
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) EDC & FIN, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Kawasaki
Description: Alaska statute is amended to allow the University of Alaska to establish institutes of medicine and law.

HB 78 Incentives for Certain Medical Providers
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) HSS, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Herron
Description: Designed to increase the overall number of health care providers, especially in "very hard-to-fill" locations in Alaska, HB 78 provides for loan repayment assistance to certain medical providers by establishing a program in the Department of Health and Social Services that would provide financial incentive for up to 90 Tier I and Tier II health care professionals per year.

HB 122 Naturopaths
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) L&C, HSS, and FIN, 01/26/11
Sponsor: Rep. Munoz
Description: Establishes an Alaska Naturopathic Medical Board; authorizes medical assistance program coverage of naturopathic services; amends the definition of "practice of medicine;" and provides an effective date.

SB 92 Dentists/Dental Hygienists/Assistants
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (S) L&C and FIN, 02/21/11
Sponsor: Sen. Egan
Description: This bill amends the current statutes to ensure that all dental care providers are properly licensed and accredited.

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Bill Watch: Medical Assistance and Health Insurance

HB 1 Policy for Securing Health Care Services
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) HSS & JUD, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Gatto
Description: Alaska statute is amended to add a new section that it is the policy of the State of Alaska that a person has the right to choose or decline any mode of obtaining health care services without penalty or threat of penalty.

HB 11 Colonoscopy: Pub. Employee Retirees
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) L&C and FIN, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Gara
Description: Alaska statute is amended to include colonoscopy coverage for retired public employees and other who receive benefits under AS 14.25.110, AS 22.25, AS 39.35, or former 8 AS 39.37.

HB 164 Insurance: Health Care & Other
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) L&C and FIN, 02/18/11
Sponsor: House Labor and Commerce
Description: "An Act relating to insurance; relating to health care insurance, exemption of certain insurers, reporting, notice, and record-keeping requirements for insurers, biographical affidavits, qualifications of alien insurers assuming ceded insurance, risk-based capital for insurers, insurance holding companies, licensing, federal requirements for nonadmitted insurers, surplus lines insurance, insurance fraud, life insurance policies and annuity contracts, rate filings by health care insurers, long-term care insurance, automobile service corporations, guaranty fund deposits of a title insurer, joint title plants, delinquency proceedings, fraternal benefit societies, multiple employer welfare arrangements, hospital and medical service corporations, and health maintenance organizations; and providing for an effective date."

HB 29 Public Retiree Medical Benefits Coverage
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) L&C and FIN, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Millet
Description: Alaska statute is amended by adding a new paragraph that reads, "Preventive health services benefits provided to a person receiving retiree medical benefits under AS 14.25, AS 22.25, or AS 39.35 may not be less than the preventive health services medical benefits provided to the active members of the respective system."

HB 79 Ins. Coverage: Autism Spectrum Disorder
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) HSS, 01/18/11
Sponsors: Reps. Petersen, Kawasaki, Gruenberg, Gara, Kertulla, and Holmes
Description: HB 79 requires insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorders, describes the method for establishing a covered treatment plan, defines the covered treatment for those disorders, and provides an effective date.

HB 152 Grants for Seniors' Medical Care
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) HSS, 02/11/11
Sponsors: Reps. Gara, Kawasaki
Description: HB 152 establishes a grant fund for health care providers serving seniors 65 years of age or over. The grants would provide payments to those providers that see seniors in a cost effective manner and expand access to health care for this underserved population. Companion bill to SB 87.

HJR 5 Const. Am: Health Care
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) HSS, JUD, and FIN, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Keller
Description: This resolution proposes amendment to the Constitution of the State of Alaska prohibiting passage of laws that interfere with direct payments for health care services and the right to purchase health care insurance from a privately owned company, and that compel a person to participate in a health care system.

SB 5 Medical Assistance Eligibility
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (S) HSS and FIN, 01/19/11
Sponsors: Sens. Davis, Ellis, French, and Wielechowski
Description: This bill amends Alaska statute to include specific optional groups of persons for whom the state may claim federal financial participation for medical assistance, and the state may require premiums or cost-sharing contributions from recipients eligible for benefits and whose household income is between 150 and 200 percent of the federal poverty line.

SB 70 Alaska Health Benefit Exchange
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (S) L&C and FIN, 01/26/11
Sponsors: Sens. French and Davis
Description: This bill would establish the Alaska Health Benefit Exchange, along with an effective date. This act is designed:                                                        
(1)  to facilitate the purchase and sale of qualified health plans in the individual market in this state;                                                                                                  
(2)  to establish a small business health options program exchange to assist qualified small employers in the state in enrolling employees in qualified health plans offered in the small group market;                                                                                             
(3)  to provide consumer education and assist individuals with access to programs, credits, and cost-sharing reductions;                                                                        
(4)  to reduce the number of uninsured Alaskans by creating an organized, transparent, and easy-to-navigate health insurance marketplace that offers a choice of high value health plans with low administrative costs for individuals and employers; and                                    
(5)  that the Alaska Health Benefit Exchange Board recommend to the legislature and the Office of the Governor methods to keep premium costs low and risk pools strong in the health insurance market place.

SB 74 Ins. Coverage: Autism Spectrum Disorder
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (S) HSS and L&C; Rep. Edgmon was added as cosponsor, 02/02/11
Sponsors: Sens. Ellis, French, and Wielechowski
Description: HB 79 requires insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorders, describes the method for establishing a covered treatment plan, defines the covered treatment for those disorders, and provides an effective date.

SB 81 Public Retiree Med. Benefits: Dependents
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (S) L&C and FIN, 02/07/11
Sponsors: Sens. Davis and Ellis
Description: This bill establishes a requirement that group life and health insurance benefits, in regard to dependents, may not be less than those benefits provided to active members.

SB 87 Grants for Seniors' Medical Care
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (S) L&C and FIN, 02/11/11
Sponsor: Sen. French
Description: SB 87 establishes a grant fund for health care providers serving seniors 65 years of age or over. The grants would provide payments to those providers that see seniors in a cost effective manner and expand access to health care for this underserved population. Companion bill to HB 152.

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Bill Watch: Mental Health Issues

HB 109 Approp: Mental Health Budget
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) FIN, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rules by request of the governor
Description: This act, a companion bill to SB 48, appropriates $209 million to the state's integrated mental health programs for operating and capital expenses.

SB 48 Approp: Mental Health Budget
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (S) FIN, 01/19/11
Sponsor: Rules by request of the governor
Description: This act, a companion bill to HB 109, appropriates $209 million to the state's integrated mental health programs for operating and capital expenses.

SB 52 Mental Health Care Insurance Benefit
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (S) FIN, L&C, and HSS, 01/19/11
Sponsor: Sen. Davis
Description: This bill would requires parity between health care coverage for mental health, alcoholism, and substance abuse benefits and other medical care benefits.

SB 55 Mental Health Patient Rights & Grievances
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (S) FIN and HSS, 01/19/11
Sponsor: Sen. Davis
Description: This bill would add the right of mental health patients to file a grievance under AS 47.30.855, and the right to a designated representative to assist in filing the grievance under AS 47.30.847.

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Bill Watch: State Boards and Issues

HB 21 Suicide Prevention Council Members
Committees and date of last action: Read for the second and third times, passed the House, and transmitted to the Senate, 02/14/1; read for the first time in Senate and referred to (S) HSS and FIN, 02/16/11  
Sponsors: Reps. Fairclough, Gardner, Johansen, Petersen, Kerttula, Tuck, Chenault, Saddler, and Herron
Description: This bill increases membership of the Statewide Suicide Prevention Council from 16 to 17 and creates an age requirement for the youth member. CSHB 21 further elaborates on requirements for military representative.

HB 46 Alaska Prescription Drug Task Force
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) HSS and FIN, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Guttenberg
Description: This bill adds a new section to the uncodified law of the State of Alaska that establishes the Alaska Prescription Drug Task Force in the Department of Health and Social Services.

HB 126 Omnibus Board Extensions
Committee and date of last action: Committee and date of last action: Heard in (H) L&C and referred to (H) FIN, 02/14/11
Sponsor: Rules by request of Legislative Budget and Audit
Description: Extends termination dates of certain boards, including the Board of Nursing and the Board of Dental Examiners, to June 30, 2019.

SB 12 Extend Board of Nursing
Committees and date of last action: Heard in (S) HSS, fiscal note #1 was attached, and referred to (S) FIN, 02/04/11
Sponsor: Sen. Davis
Description: The bill amends Alaska statute to extend the Board of Nursing until June 30, 2019.

SB 59 Extend Board of Dental Examiners
Committees and date of last action: Heard in the (S) L&C. The committee recommended its replacement with CSSB 59 (L&C), which amends the termination date for the board until June 30, 2019. The committee also attached Fiscal Note 1 and referred it to the Finance Committee, 02/02/11
Sponsor: Senate Labor & Commerce
Description: The bill extends "the termination date of the Board of Dental Examiners: and providing for an effective date."

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Bill Watch: Family Health Issues

HB 15 Student Athlete Traumatic Brain Injuries
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) EDC and HSS, 02/09/11
Sponsors: Rep. Doogan, Kerttula, Munoz, Gruenberg, and Johnson
Description: Uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended to add a new section that directs the governing body of a school district to consult with the Alaska School Activities Association to develop and publish guidelines and other information to educate coaches, student athletes, and parents of student athletes regarding the nature and risks of concussions and other traumatic brain injuries.

HB 94 Student Athlete Traumatic Brain Injuries
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) EDC and HSS, 01/31/11
Sponsors: Reps. Johnson, Doogan, Millet, Munoz, and Kerttula
Description: Uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended to add a new section that directs the governing body of a school district to consult with the Alaska School Activities Association to develop and publish guidelines and other information to educate coaches, student athletes, and parents of student athletes regarding the nature and risks of concussions and other traumatic brain injuries.

HB 172 Banned Substances in Children's Products
Committee and date of last action: Read for the first time in the House and referred to (H) HSS and L&C
Sponsors: Reps. Kerttula and Kawasaki
Description: This bill prohibits the manufacture, sale, offer to sell, or otherwise commercially distribute goods and foods for children that contain bisphenol-A, and it sets a effective date of January 1, 2012.

HCR 3 Senior Citizen Protections
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) HSS, 01/24/11
Sponsor: Rep. Munoz
Description: This resolution acknowledges that support and protection of older Alaskans is a societal responsibility, and it encourages and supports  the efforts of programs in Alaska that work to improve the health and safety of older Alaskans.

SB 3 Funding for School Meals
Committees and date of last action: Passed the Senate and transmitted to the House, 02/28/11
Sponsors: Sens. Wielechowski, Ellis, Davis, Egan, French, Kookesh, McGuire, Menard, Paskvan, and Thomas
Description: This bill amends Alaska statute to add a new section that directs state funding to supplement the cost of lunch and breakfast provided to each student who is eligible for a free or reduced-price lunch under 42 U.S.C. 1771 - 1784.

SB 22 Student Athlete Traumatic Brain Injuries
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (S) HSS and FIN, 01/19/11
Sponsor: Sen. McGuire
Description: Uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended to add a new section that directs the governing body of a school district to consult with the Alaska School Activities Association to develop and publish guidelines and other information to educate coaches, student athletes, and parents of student athletes regarding the nature and risks of concussions and other traumatic brain injuries.

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Bill Watch: Workers' Compensation

HB 12 Workers' Compensation Advisory Council
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) L&C and FIN, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Olson
Description: This bill establishes a Workers' Compensation Advisory Council, describes the membership, and other particulars.

HB 13 Workers' Compensation: Medical Fees
Committees and date of last action: Heard in (H) L&C and referred to (H) FIN, 02/14/11
Sponsor: Rep. Olson
Description: Alaska statute is amended to adjust guidelines relating to fees and other charges for medical treatment or services connected with worker's compensation.

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Bill Watch: Public Safety

HB 22 No Cell Phone Use When Driving
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) TRA, JUD, and FIN, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Munoz
Description: This bill amends Alaska statute to prohibit cellular phone use while driving, with exceptions for hands-free configuration and emergencies to take effect July 1, 2011.

HB 35 Ban Cell Phone Use When Driving
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) TRA, JUD, and FIN, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Doogan
Description: This bill amends Alaska statute to prohibit cellular phone use while driving, with exceptions for emergencies, to take effect July 1, 2011.

HB 57 Bicycle Program
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) TRA and FIN, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Seaton
Description: This bills amends Alaska statute to authorize municipalities and nonprofit groups in Alaska to apply for grant money for programs that promote safe ridership and directs the Department of Transportation to establish grant programs.

HB 68 Ban Cell Phone Use When Driving
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) TRA, JUD, and FIN, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Rep. Gruenberg
Description: This bill amends Alaska statute to prohibit cellular phone use while driving, with exceptions for hands-free configuration and emergencies to take effect July 1, 2011. It adds that a peace officer may not stop or detain a motor vehicle to determine compliance with (a) of this section, or issue a citation for a violation of (a) of this section, unless the peace officer has probable cause to stop or detain the motor vehicle other than for a violation of this section.

HB 95 Seat Belt Violation Secondary Offense
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) TRA and JUD, 01/18/11
Sponsors: Reps. Wilson, Gardner, and Stoltze
Description: Amends Section 1. AS 28.05.095(e) to read, "(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a peace officer may not stop or detain a motor vehicle to determine compliance with (a) of this section issue a citation for a violation of (a) of this section, unless the peace officer has probable cause to stop or detain the motor vehicle other than for a violation of (a) of this section," and repeals Sec. 2. AS 28.05.095(f).

HB 128 Ban Cell Phone Use By Minors When Driving
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) TRA and JUD, 01/28/11
Sponsor: Rep. Gardner
Description: Amends AS 28.35 by adding a new section that prohibits drivers under 18 years of age from using a cell phone while driving a motor vehicle. A peace officer is not authorized to stop or detain a motor vehicle to determine compliance with this provision unless the officer has probable cause to stop or detain the vehicle for reasons other than violation of provision. Effective date is July 1, 2011.

HB 149 Driver's Licensing; Medical Conditions
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) STA and JUD, 02/09/11
Sponsor: Rep. Fairclough
Description: Section 2 AS 28.15 is amended by adding a new section that reads: Sec. 28.15.156 Duty to disclose certain medical conditions; reports to department by physicians and other persons regarding persons with certain medical conditions.

HB 150 Protection of Vulnerable Adults/Minors
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) JUD and FIN along with fiscal notes and letter from governor, 02/09/11
Sponsor: Rules by request of the governor
Description: From Governor Parnell's letter, "Financial exploitation of the elderly and other vulnerable adults is a growing problem. Victims of financial exploitation may not need a guardian, but may need assistance stopping immediate misuse or theft of their money. ... With a temporary conservator, the vulnerable victim retains autonomy while receiving assistance. The ex parte relief from fraud procedure is similar to the existing domestic violence protection law, providing a means for vulnerable adults to independently obtain straightforward, expedited relief from immediate financial exploitation." Companion bill to SB 86.

SB 86 Protection of Vulnerable Adults/Minors
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (S) JUD and FIN along with fiscal notes and letter from governor, 02/09/11
Sponsor: Rules by request of the governor
Description: From Governor Parnell's letter, "Financial exploitation of the elderly and other vulnerable adults is a growing problem. Victims of financial exploitation may not need a guardian, but may need assistance stopping immediate misuse or theft of their money. ... With a temporary conservator, the vulnerable victim retains autonomy while receiving assistance. The ex parte relief from fraud procedure is similar to the existing domestic violence protection law, providing a means for vulnerable adults to independently obtain straightforward, expedited relief from immediate financial exploitation." Companion bill to HB 150.

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Bill Watch: General Health Policy

HB 61 Advance Health Care Directives Registry
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) HSS, JUD, and FIN, 01/28/11
Sponsors: Reps. Holmes and Millet
Description: This bill amends a previous statute by adding that a health care facility will not be subject to civil or criminal liability in the event that they act in reliance to an advance health care directive or fail to check an advance health care directive registry for a patient in their facility. In addition, HB 71 proposes the establishment of an advance health care directive registry within the Department of Health and Social Services, where individuals or their guardians can file advance health directives. This registry would be confidential and may not be used for another purpose.

HCR 1 Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) HSS, 01/18/11
Sponsor: Reps. Petersen and Thompson
Description: Proclaims November 2011 as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

HCR 5 Vitamin D Supplements
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (H) HSS, 02/11/11
Sponsors: Reps. Seaton, Millet, Gruenberg, and Tuck
Description: Recognizing the importance of Vitamin D to human health, the Alaska State Legislature requests of the governor the establishment of a disease prevention model of health care in Alaska; encourages DHSS and health care providers to increase attention and promote awareness of the importance of Vitamin D; urges DHSS to provide Vitamin D to the elderly, pregnant women, and infants; and to investigate the use of Vitamin D supplementation as a replacement for the flu vaccine.

SB 14 Object to Providing Health Care Services
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (S) JUD and HSS, 01/19/11
Sponsors: Sens. Dyson and Coghill
Description: This bill amends Alaska statute to include accommodation and protection for health care providers' expressions of conscience pertaining to the delivery of a health care service.

SB 27 Flame Retardants and Toxic Chemicals
Committees and date of last action: Heard in (H) HSS where it was replaced with CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 27(HSS) "An Act relating to flame retardants and to the manufacture, sale, and distribution of products containing flame retardants; relating to a multistate chemicals clearinghouse; and providing for an effective date," and it was referred to the Senate Finance Committee, 03/01/11

Sponsor: Sen. Wielechowski
Description: Amends Alaska statute to prohibit the manufacture, sale, or distribution of products containing certain toxic chemicals in Alaska.

SCR 1 Lupus Awareness Month
Committees and date of last action: Read for the first time and referred to (S) HSS and STA, 01/19/11
Sponsor: Sen. Davis
Description: Proclaims May 2011 as Lupus Awareness Month.

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Bill Watch: Bill Tracking Methodology

Bills listed here were selected based on a series of subjective criteria to determine whether they were "health-policy related." All bills currently sitting in the Senate and House Health and Social Services committees were examined, and any that obviously dealt with non-health-related education or social services issues were eliminated. Every other House and Senate committee was then examined for health-related bills, which were included in the final list.
 
After determining the full set of health-related bills still in committee or pre-filed for the new session, they were divided into several general categories. This was done to facilitate finding bills that dealt with certain key health policy issues and to make overall navigation of the list easier. The remaining bills were categorized as "general" health policy-related because of the wide range of subjects they covered.
 
The information listed for each bill includes the bill number, the short title, the primary sponsor or sponsors, the committee in which the last action on the bill took place, and the date on which the last action on the bill took place. A short summary of each bill is also included.
 
Abbreviations have been used for committee names. The committee names and their abbreviations are:

(H) HSS: House Health and Social Services Committee
(S) HSS: Senate Health and Social Services Committee
(H) L&C: House Labor & Commerce Committee
(S) L&C: Senate Labor & Commerce Committee
(H) EDC: House Education Committee
(S) EDC: Senate Education Committee
(H) FIN: House Finance Committee
(S) FIN: Senate Finance Committee
(H) JUD: House Judiciary Committee
(S) JUD: Senate Judiciary Committee
(H) STA: House State Affairs Committee
(S) STA: Senate State Affairs Committee 
(S) RLS: Senate Rules Committee
(H) CRA: House Community and Regional Affairs Committee
(H) TRA: House Transportation Committee
(S) TRA: Senate Transportation Committee
   
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AHPR Staff and Contributors

Lawrence D. Weiss,
PhD, MS, Editor
Kelby Murphy, Senior Policy Analyst
Jacqueline Yeagle, Newsletter design and editing
Jennifer LaCasse, Proofreader

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Subscribe Now to the Alaska Health Policy Review

The Alaska Health Policy Review is issued electronically, weekly during the regular legislative session and monthly the rest of the year.
 
A standard 12-month subscription to the Alaska Health Policy Review is available for $850. Please inquire about discount rates for multiple recipients in the same organization, legislators, and small nonprofit organizations.
 
Don't miss an issue! Send orders, comments, and inquiries to Lawrence D. Weiss at [email protected], or call (907) 276-2277.

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