[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6086752,"mediaKeyId","2894344-54713e9d93a69b7ca6a55c133f4113b3","parentId",2894344,"title","Senate committee hears bill to require private insurers to pay telehealth at same rates as in-person care","audioSeconds",1077,"startMs",351000,"endMs",1428000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2894344-54713e9d93a69b7ca6a55c133f4113b3&start=351&end=1428","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2894344-54713e9d93a69b7ca6a55c133f4113b3/thumbnail_351000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6086752/Alaska/Senate-committee-hears-bill-to-require-private-insurers-to-pay-telehealth-at-same-rates-as-in-person-care","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086752-c12e15154cf0955b0347fa5f80f9241b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771109746&Signature=IJNvBo7BGPSakIMj0Tu4Ee2HbscIVRbnfBuCgejyp6w49ogfpzLcEGJskQuBYWA2Tq0P3K2e7C-1rWLngB01Zc9mZAyLdRiiGEdqSibmBOw1j7thAhjtcYAfYZMX4y17GR~B7dKgGeG4m~FD6hh71txkEZWzJY5GOf~Hrf3Brd8~kKHdsSU0KfUAthxg1J95dlfir1aqRJ~0ieHHyqw5RFC77Lzy3kkjdNeBU011BLfcswwxN7mW7GtpiwN0aiXKR0GSa8XVgnsajZQAiKP0HUUwPPV~JTl0O-rc~XYu8z6c6uLr5l8fPnMiljOm3Llobl2dkkr9irZDpkzehdrouQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska State Legislature","date","2025-04-07T13:30:00Z","article","Senate Labor and Commerce on Monday heard its first testimony on Senate Bill 83, a bill that would require private health insurers to reimburse telehealth services at the same rate as comparable in-person services.

Senator Matt Klayman, sponsor of the bill, told the committee the measure “will ensure pay parity for telehealth requiring health care insurers to reimburse the same payment rate for telehealth services as in person care.” He said parity would expand access for Alaskans who face long distances, limited transportation and disability-related barriers.

The bill’s sponsor and staff described the bill’s structure and scope. Serena Hackenmiller, staff to Senator Klayman, summarized the committee substitute: it adds a new subsection under the cited Alaska statutes to require parity, explicitly includes behavioral health services, conforms several code sections to the new requirement, requires municipal group plans to follow the same standard, repeals a session-law sunset related to Medicaid telehealth parity, and sets an effective date of Jan. 1, 2026.

Economist James Rebitzer, testifying remotely, urged support on economic grounds. “Mandating equal payment can help solve a couple of economic problems that private parties can’t solve on their own,” he said, arguing parity reduces incentives for insurers to “free ride” on other payers’ investments in telehealth capacity. Rebitzer added Alaska’s geography makes underinvestment in telehealth “especially severe.”

Anchorage psychiatrist Dr. Howard Deltweiler said telehealth is essential to continuity of care in Alaska. Citing a recent snowstorm that kept patients from his office, he said telehealth allowed him to manage prescriptions and monitor side effects remotely. “Continuity of care and telecommunication, especially here in Alaska due to the distances and the climate and the problems that we have, are absolutely essential,” he said.

Committee members asked no questions of the witnesses during this hearing. No formal committee action was taken on SB 83 at this meeting; the item was presented and heard as a first hearing.

The bill text and sectional summary presented to the committee reference multiple Alaska statutory sections (as recited by staff during the hearing) and remove a temporary sunset in session law that previously applied to Medicaid telehealth parity. The sponsor’s office and staff said the bill is intended to align private-insurer reimbursement with an existing Medicaid parity framework already in state law.

The committee recessed after the presentation and testimony; members indicated they will take further questions through the sponsor’s office if needed. If the committee advances the bill in subsequent meetings it will be through additional committee action and a future report-out vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","04/07/2025 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Labor and Commerce on Monday heard its first testimony on Senate Bill 83, a bill that would require private health insurers to reimburse telehealth services at the same rate as comparable in-person services.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Alaska, Alaska","taxId",78559,"location","Alaska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6086747,"Committee reports out ‘Alaska Work and Save’ auto-IRA; sponsor, AARP and Colorado officials back the plan",1883,1449000,3332000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2894344-54713e9d93a69b7ca6a55c133f4113b3&start=1449&end=3332","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2894344-54713e9d93a69b7ca6a55c133f4113b3/thumbnail_1449000.jpg","/articles/6086747/Alaska/Committee-reports-out-Alaska-Work-and-Save-auto-IRA-sponsor-AARP-and-Colorado-officials-back-the-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086747-89e65a5d78d2adcce2559e3503eefd09/orig.mp4?Expires=1771109746&Signature=niC889WvLXga2lrohnqgA17MjHPd9hW6wR0iB6ONNLV6fpb6gMMxN-3PaWzvt4dU7jTVxBc2xstXLDjJ5Q~iXYdQGZmdIP92Ddysy12Remwh3oXddP2ARMNIZp7-1OOr17HhApw670-IXI8vgqAUxjt6mNgM2FXpAcn6ZOLaBTOn4BOjGnkpjKod2I9XCrkRIl3LJf-7JnKsrngleubyE0ruw-DRXZMHGWf7Wh~SlnLjNqqMAEwfpPr9iNLTpjLaN56TclpmkPnLIxk6CIve6WnMSM3V2jz7jk3s5CzbSabmMy3t8KX9qag5IvmndSJQIQ-HQnR1HlsI8RF-TELo3w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on Monday voted to report a committee substitute for Senate Bill 21, the “Alaska Work and Save” auto-IRA proposal that would create a state-facilitated retirement savings option for employees of employers without an existing plan.

Senator Bill Wilikowski, sponsor of SB 21, said the bill would create an automatic IRA program to increase retirement savings among workers at small businesses. “Over half of American households have no retirement savings,” he said, and “64% of Alaska small businesses do not offer retirement of any kind.” He told the committee the program is designed to be low-cost and simple for small employers.

Marge Stoneking, advocacy director for AARP Alaska, testified in support and said the program would improve retirement readiness for older Alaskans and reduce future reliance on public assistance programs. “Retirement readiness is good for Alaska,” Stoneking said, and she cited polling showing broad support among small-business owners.

Colorado State Treasurer Dave Young, chair of the Colorado Secure Savings board, provided invited testimony about Colorado’s program and a partnership model Colorado offers to other states. Young said Colorado launched a state-run auto-IRA and now offers a “Partnership for Dignified Retirement” that lets smaller states leverage Colorado’s procurement and program manager arrangements. He said Colorado’s program has about 75,000 funded accounts and “well past a hundred million in assets,” and that the program’s average funded account balance is increasing, indicating savers are remaining in the program.

Committee members questioned program design aspects raised by Colorado’s experience: the plan proposed for Alaska is a Roth IRA (post-tax) with automatic enrollment and an annual default escalation in contribution rates, Young said. He reported an opt-out rate of about 20% among those who complete the required know-your-customer process in Colorado. He also said employers in Colorado typically can register and enroll employees quickly and that many small employers view the program as an “easy button” compensation tool.

On a procedural motion on the floor of the committee, Senator Bill Wilikowski moved to “report committee substitute for Senate Bill 21 version 34 LS0254… from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes.” The motion carried without recorded objection; the committee reported SB 21 with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes and requested members sign the committee report after adjournment.

Public comment included one in-person testimony from Jane Ann Dreen of Douglas, who described personal experience working for small employers and urged passage so more workers have access to retirement savings options.

Committee Chairman Senator Bjorkman said the committee will next meet April 9 to hear a different bill; no further amendments to SB 21 were adopted during this meeting.

The committee’s report-out advances the measure to the next stage of the legislative process; the committee attached fiscal notes and individual recommendations as part of the report.","Senate Labor and Commerce voted to report a committee substitute for Senate Bill 21, establishing an auto-IRA ‘‘Alaska Work and Save’’ program. Sponsor and witnesses said the program would expand retirement access for employees of small businesses; Colorado’s program leaders described a partnership model and early participation data.","actionData","errors"]

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Senate committee hears bill to require private insurers to pay telehealth at same rates as in-person care

Committee reports out ‘Alaska Work and Save’ auto-IRA; sponsor, AARP and Colorado officials back the plan