AlaskaHealth plans would pay at least in-person rates for telehealth
If approved and effective, health plans would pay at least comparable in-person rates for telehealth while certain firefighters and disabled public employees would receive the listed protections.
What it does
Health insurers would pay providers at least the comparable in-person rate for telehealth, including behavioral health care; covered municipal and state plans would follow the same rule.
Certain active and former firefighters would receive a work-relatedness presumption for specified diseases after meeting service, medical-exam, and cancer-exposure requirements.
Disabled public employees would receive benefits based on 75 percent of final pay, with certain disability recipients eligible for retiree medical coverage and employer retirement contributions.
State agencies and providers would use medical-assistance rules without the listed AS 47.08 provisions, while transition rules preserve some older investigations, records, payments, and audits.
Argument forPaying for telehealth at in-person rates could help patients receive remote behavioral and other health care without a lower reimbursement rate discouraging providers.
Argument againstThe firefighter presumption may lead to more workers' compensation claims because it covers many diseases for eligible active and former firefighters for up to 120 months.
More detail
Health insurers would reimburse providers for telehealth services, including behavioral health care, on the same basis and at least the same rate as comparable in-person care. The rule covers health care providers and insurers, including municipal and state employee health plans covered by the listed sections. Insurers may use a geographic payment difference for out-of-state providers. Sections 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8 would take effect January 1, 2027.
Workers' compensation claims for certain firefighters would receive a presumption that listed diseases are work-related. The rule covers active and former firefighters covered by AS 23.30.243, including claims involving respiratory disease, certain cardiovascular events, and specified cancers. The firefighter must have served in Alaska for at least six years. The firefighter must have qualifying medical examinations that showed no disease, including examinations at least every two years during the first six years of employment. For listed cancers, the firefighter must show exposure during employment to a known carcinogen associated with the disabling cancer. After service ends, the presumption would continue for six calendar months for each year of required service, up to 120 months after the last employment date.
Eligible public employees with occupational disabilities would receive a disability benefit equal to 75 percent of their final gross monthly pay, along with specified retirement health coverage and employer contributions. The provisions cover disabled members and eligible members or surviving spouses in the public employees' retirement system, including people receiving disability benefits under the listed sections. A disabled member would qualify for retiree major medical coverage if eligible for a disability benefit under AS 39.35.890. A disabled member or surviving spouse who is not eligible for Medicare would not pay the retiree medical premium while receiving the specified disability benefit. The employee may not take distributions from the individual contribution account while receiving disability benefits. Sections 9 through 13 would take effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).
State medical-assistance administration would proceed without the AS 47.08 provisions listed in section 22, while some older investigations, records, payments, and audits would continue under transition rules. The provisions affect state agencies, medical-assistance providers, and matters involving assistance for catastrophic illnesses and acute or chronic medical conditions under AS 47.08. The medical-assistance fraud rule in section 16 would apply only to offenses committed on or after that section's effective date. Older investigations and audits, and payment-related records for services provided before the applicable effective dates, would remain subject to the transition rules. The supplied passages do not state a specific effective date for section 22; sections 14 through 16 have transition or applicability rules tied to their own effective dates.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jul 16(H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW SEE CHAPTERLatest
- Jul 16(H) LAW W/O GOVERNOR SIGNATURE 7/13 CHAPTER 57 SLA 26Major
- Jul 3(H) 2:00 P.M. 6/25/26 Transmitted to GovernorTo Governor
- Jun 10(H) MANIFEST ERROR(S)
- Jun 2(S) ENGROSSED
- May 20(H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
- Vote recorded (S) PASSED Y19 N1 #2901. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded (H) CONCUR AM OF (S) Y39 N1 #3002. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded (S) AM NO 1 ADOPTED Y14 N6 # 2896. Result: pass.Upper
- May 20(H) CONCUR AM OF (S) Y39 N1
- May 20(H) TITLE CHANGE: SCR 36
- May 20(H) CONCUR MESSAGE TAKEN UP
- May 20(H) CONCUR MESSAGE RECEIVED
- May 20(S) VERSION: HB 14 AM S(EFD ADD S)
- May 20(S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) AS AMENDEDMajor
- May 20(S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
- May 20(S) PASSED Y19 N1Major
- May 20(S) AUTOMATICALLY IN THIRD READINGMinor
- May 20(S) AM NO 3 ADOPTED UCMajor
- May 20(S) AM NO 2 NOT OFFERED
- May 20(S) AM NO 1 ADOPTED Y14 N6Major
- May 20(S) RETURN TO SECOND FOR AMS UC
- May 20(S) READ THE THIRD TIME HB 14Minor
- May 20(S) ENGROSSMENT WAIVED, RULE 43(B)
- May 20(S) MOVED TO BOTTOM OF CALENDAR
- May 19(S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/20 CALMinor
- May 19(S) READ THE SECOND TIMEMinor
- May 19(S) RULES TO FIRST SUP CALENDAR 5/19/2026
- May 16(S) FN2: ZERO(DOH)
- May 16(S) NR: OLSON, KAUFMAN, KIEHL
- May 16(S) DP: HOFFMAN, CRONK, MERRICK
- May 16(S) FIN RPT 3DP 3NR
- May 15(S) Minutes (SFIN)
- May 15(S) Moved HB 14 Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change --
- May 15(S) FINANCE at 01:30 PM SENATE FINANCE 532
- May 12(S) Minutes (SFIN)
- May 12(S) Heard & Held
- May 12(S) FINANCE at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532
- May 6(S) FN2: ZERO(DOH)
- May 6(S) DP: MYERS, CLAMAN, GIESSEL, TOBIN
- May 6(S) NR: DUNBAR
- May 6(S) HSS RPT 1NR 4DP
- May 5(S) Moved HB 14 Out of Committee
- May 5(S) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
- Feb 17(S) Minutes (SHSS)
- Feb 17(S) Heard & Held
- Feb 17(S) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
- 2025
- May 16(S) HSS, FIN
- May 16(S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALSMinor
- May 14(H) VERSION: HB 14
- Vote recorded (H) PASSED Y40 #1202. Result: pass.Lower
- May 14(H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)Passed Senate
- May 14(H) PASSED Y40Passed House
- May 14(H) READ THE THIRD TIME HB 14Minor
- May 13(H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/14 CALENDARMinor
- May 13(H) READ THE SECOND TIMEMinor
- May 13(H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/13/2025
- Apr 30(H) FN1: ZERO(DOH)
- Apr 30(H) NR: HANNAN, JOSEPHSON
- Apr 30(H) DP: BYNUM, JOHNSON, ALLARD, STAPP, TOMASZEWSKI, GALVIN, JIMMIE, FOSTER, SCHRAGE
- Apr 30(H) FIN RPT 9DP 2NR
- Apr 29(H) Minutes (HFIN)
- Apr 29(H) Moved HB 14 Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change --
- Apr 29(H) FINANCE at 10:00 AM ADAMS 519
- Apr 28(H) COSPONSOR(S): SCHRAGE
- Apr 16(H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
- Apr 16(H) FINANCE at 01:30 PM ADAMS 519
- Mar 21(H) FN1: ZERO(DOH)
- Mar 21(H) NR: MINA
- Mar 21(H) DP: PRAX, SCHWANKE, RUFFRIDGE, MEARS
- Mar 21(H) HSS RPT 4DP 1NR
- Mar 18(H) Minutes (HHSS)
- Mar 18(H) Moved HB 14 Out of Committee
- Mar 18(H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:15 PM DAVIS 106
- Mar 11(H) -- Public Testimony -- -- MEETING CANCELED --
- Mar 11(H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:15 PM DAVIS 106
- Feb 18(H) Minutes (HHSS)
- Feb 18(H) Heard & Held
- Feb 18(H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:15 PM DAVIS 106
- Jan 22(H) HSS, FIN
- Jan 22(H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALSMinor
- Jan 22(H) Prefile released 1/10/25Introduced
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