[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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",6058499,"mediaKeyId","3297113-f7236974f40d1bb00a784452cb218fea","parentId",3297113,"title","Committee receives cleanup bill to align PBM and TPA regulation; administration supports increased licensing authority","audioSeconds",234,"startMs",2934000,"endMs",3168000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3297113-f7236974f40d1bb00a784452cb218fea&start=2934&end=3168","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3297113-f7236974f40d1bb00a784452cb218fea/thumbnail_2934000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6058499/Alaska/Committee-receives-cleanup-bill-to-align-PBM-and-TPA-regulation-administration-supports-increased-licensing-authority","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058499-fbd71777c56c0fd6c33760cc950a5090/orig.mp4?Expires=1771198753&Signature=eAGxHT1tlMipya7-8C6lzpL4hN5ENVj-RANel90jQdY0hFB4qzkM2rBRhWftHSD9Hsop6sCE0kkHyMinG5Fn7ar-s0x41NEGQNuEuMel8Y3FNfhcrKAZnMlf5I4pavoSVPpIQL9k3SKawgWkP2lPOnwBczf51H-nu0nz1KwCDmiRgLCHy545nCY05m8azL38VYjFDwy~4jbft2GYOQ~EXaOLpZb3o6wkN3Gw0HI8Q-DeiVbVcP2~-kZGSMHFPbnhKw~ych0kd7iRelHFqp~wFZiPVfADu8KjdEAX95RKsHyXVLOX41rBt-7TrivLTzWpqSc8DghLaGqi-5k5GRQ-fg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska Legislature","date","2025-05-13T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Zach Fields presented House Bill 149 as a technical “cleanup” to align the Division of Insurance’s authority to regulate pharmacy benefit managers and third‑party administrators equally, following implementation of last session’s HB 226.

Why it matters: The Division of Insurance told the committee the bill removes implementation gaps that could limit market-conduct examinations and clarifies that PBMs and TPAs are subject to full licensure rather than a lesser registration standard.

Administration view: Heather Carpenter, deputy director of the Division of Insurance, described the bill as “a cleanup piece of legislation.” She told lawmakers that when the division reviewed implementation of last year’s HB 226 it identified omitted examination statutes that left a potential loophole for PBMs to resist market-conduct exams. Carpenter said HB 149 would require PBMs to pay the cost of such exams (as insurers do) and would move PBMs and TPAs to full licensure to eliminate regulatory ambiguity.

Committee action and scheduling: The chair opened public testimony but recorded no speakers. The committee chair said she will bring up the senate companion bill, Senate Bill 134, at the Thursday meeting and set an amendment deadline for the senate companion for Wednesday, May 14 at 12 p.m.; she then set aside House Bill 149 for the present hearing.

What the transcript does not show: There was no committee vote on HB 149 at this hearing; no public testimony was taken on the house companion during this session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","05/13/2025 03:15 PM House HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES","oneSentenceSummary","Lawmakers heard a cleanup bill Tuesday to clarify regulation of pharmacy benefit managers and third‑party administrators, with the Division of Insurance urging full licensure authority and examination power to close an implementation gap from last year’s PBM law.","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},6058504,"Panel hears wide-ranging testimony on expanding prescriptive authority for naturopathic doctors; committee holds bill",2124,770000,2894000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3297113-f7236974f40d1bb00a784452cb218fea&start=770&end=2894","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3297113-f7236974f40d1bb00a784452cb218fea/thumbnail_770000.jpg","/articles/6058504/Alaska/Panel-hears-wide-ranging-testimony-on-expanding-prescriptive-authority-for-naturopathic-doctors-committee-holds-bill","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058504-d5707e3c61cae37f8068ad5a668c08e4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771198753&Signature=VVRkMofuOMDPp0wlRvd7wVekqpnq6j7ckdyNtA5jgUrDlehfknUHSrfenZViH4heTYZehYHKTVVX9YpycGkO-ppkFSyowycnPDjvQ6~6662QolIvPCQC0tPvCwzesgrt2RrWez2SkJ-2VKjt-BsY3ZjR-pTDvD4p02udG~gC~~aVC74m94AowvOY-PNzZS4zreKE6wkH-roGBCA0wOjkEaW8Pi0HMt9vOC~9MaNK0uligH9-rTAVvnSwgihVXj6FuKHIOJmPQ8fQtpBNg3sjT9u9XQFK9twwV-KbWD~vcgUWbO-7KneYJv4VfImiEIDMbBn2Y4-8kHHLmNygc~hHiw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public testimony on House Bill 147, a measure to expand prescriptive authority and update practice rules for naturopathic doctors, drew sharply different personal accounts and state licensing clarifications before the committee decided to hold the bill for a future hearing.

Why it matters: Supporters say expanded authority would add primary-care capacity in Alaska; opponents and some medical witnesses warned of risks when patients receive primary-care services outside of conventional systems. The committee paused action to gather more information about oversight and complaint history.

Testimony and key claims: Amber Figueroa, a family practice physician in Fairbanks who said she works at Tanana Valley Clinic, recounted a family tragedy: “My younger sister died last year of colon cancer at the age of 42, leaving behind 3 young children.” Figueroa said the sister had seen a naturopath for years who attributed anemia to a heavy period and did not navigate her into Western medical diagnostics, with metastatic disease discovered only after emergency care.

By contrast, the committee received a written statement read into the record by Gene Theriault on behalf of Dr. Sean Higgins, an ER physician at Alaska Regional Hospital. The statement said that in jurisdictions where naturopathic doctors practice with prescribing authority, those clinicians relieved primary care demand: “I estimate that around 30 percent of the patients I see in the ER are for primary care related medical concerns, not emergencies,” and allowing naturopathic doctors broader practice “will give patients more access to primary care, thus relieving the pressure on emergency rooms.”

Two naturopathic doctors testified about their training and oversight models in other states. Dr. Courtney Bowers, a licensed naturopathic doctor in Vermont, described Vermont’s oversight via the Office of Professional Regulation and an initial supervised prescribing-review process: after passing an additional pharmacology exam, early prescriptions are reviewed by a supervising physician for the first year or first 100 prescriptions. Dr. Natalie Wiggins, a naturopathic doctor, emphasized the distinction between licensed naturopathic doctors and unregulated practitioners and said licensed naturopathic doctors receive primary-care training that includes pharmacology.

State oversight questions: The committee questioned how Alaska would regulate expanded prescriptive authority because naturopathic practice in Alaska currently is regulated by the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing (CBPL), which does not operate a standalone naturopathic board. Sylvain Rob, director of CBPL, said the division “is the governing entity” for naturopaths and explained that discipline begins with certified investigators; where specialized expertise is required, CBPL “can engage professionals to weigh in.” Rob also said CBPL does not keep a standing file of external consultants and that experts would be identified as needed while avoiding conflicts of interest.

Requests for data and next steps: Representatives asked CBPL to provide complaint counts for naturopaths for the most recent fiscal years; Rob said the division could supply several years of complaint history. The bill sponsor and committee members also discussed whether a separate naturopathic board could be feasible in future if provider numbers increased.

Committee action: The chair announced: “I am currently holding House Bill 4,147 over for a future hearing.” No committee amendments were moved during this session; an amendment had been filed by the sponsor but was not advanced at this hearing.

What the transcript does not show: No committee vote to advance or reject the bill occurred; the committee explicitly postponed further action to gather additional information.","House Bill 147 drew testimony from physicians, naturopathic doctors and state licensing officials about prescriptive authority, training comparability and oversight. The committee held the bill for a future hearing and asked for additional information on complaint history and oversight processes.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6058509,"Committee advances resolution backing federal \"Lasting Smiles\" protections for congenital anomaly care",102,680000,782000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3297113-f7236974f40d1bb00a784452cb218fea&start=680&end=782","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3297113-f7236974f40d1bb00a784452cb218fea/thumbnail_680000.jpg","/articles/6058509/Alaska/Committee-advances-resolution-backing-federal-Lasting-Smiles-protections-for-congenital-anomaly-care","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058509-a2a800932d5e8a22041ba149ed787b68/orig.mp4?Expires=1771198753&Signature=HMxPebDkNBMN26B601cOfdAYzllz72QuEgsbwKFgOObZ~PXEqxYAY-DP~tCIKb3UR6UNb47a4KI~0vbt3cjWprmFgJtWJPvkV3bGWQqjwI22jVvYum0cdryIWxxCjreCiO1DGxSG0f72C1TU3On29jhDYI9zi8-jNwIsKGLirFUJi45d5ZvgJDFzfn5jJNI-UsK3J4nlKIjR7iea~so7wWVwwxgcmc6qmrbF86xyR4tcp9TrwJk4d5h1IArhAwBSI5Zja9MwR91d-u5u8DE4zRP8rjbSvmuRgV93nGAOuT7vPQENm8AO1567ez9Cw2YmiVjjlCnIyx7gy6m8Z7rQ8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Health and Social Services Committee on Tuesday voted to move Senate Joint Resolution 16, a measure urging Alaska’s congressional delegation to support the federal Lasting Smiles Act and to recognize that care for people born with congenital anomalies often requires costly, ongoing treatment.

The resolution’s sponsor, Senator Grama Jackson, representing District G in Anchorage, told the committee the measure seeks to “provide support for those who experience congenial congenial anomalies and birth defects,” and stressed the financial impacts families can face. She said many procedures are labeled cosmetic even though they address medically necessary, lifelong needs and that care can “cause families up to $100,000 out of pocket.”

Why it matters: The resolution asks Alaska’s federal delegation to oppose language or policies that would treat reconstructive or corrective care as cosmetic coverage and to champion fairness and equity in health care for people with congenital conditions. The committee approved the resolution without objection and noted it would sign the committee report.

Committee action: A member moved the resolution from committee with attached recommendations and no fiscal note. There was no recorded objection and the resolution “passes from committee,” according to the committee chair.

Background and testimony: Senator Jackson said the measure builds on public testimony heard at the initial hearing, including remarks that corrective procedures often are mischaracterized as cosmetic. The sponsor framed the resolution as a message to Alaska’s congressional delegation that the state “stands firmly behind policies that prioritize health outcomes and empower individuals to live healthy and productive lives.”

What the committee recorded: The committee minutes show the motion to move the resolution and that members stayed after adjournment to sign the committee report. The transcript does not record a roll-call vote; the motion passed by voice without objection.

Next steps: The resolution will be forwarded with the committee report to the full House for any subsequent scheduling or action by leadership.","The House Health and Social Services Committee voted to move Senate Joint Resolution 16, urging Alaska’s congressional delegation to support the federal Lasting Smiles Act and to recognize the health-care needs of people born with congenital anomalies.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6058494,"Committee urges Alaska’s congressional delegation to oppose proposed federal Medicaid cuts",252,3204000,3456000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3297113-f7236974f40d1bb00a784452cb218fea&start=3204&end=3456","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3297113-f7236974f40d1bb00a784452cb218fea/thumbnail_3204000.jpg","/articles/6058494/Alaska/Committee-urges-Alaskas-congressional-delegation-to-oppose-proposed-federal-Medicaid-cuts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058494-5397a018fe8eecac17eb6b48b08bfbe3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771198753&Signature=Mboce5EBvyulaly0U3uaoqvHE6MQIGReW55K-KgaZjI1gMlvjrFsBsWXWWkI6ZOD24~z4wOObVJ~f8cf2OhDVRI80f4XH5a0bjhMoGzaL2E7LZL3YTnEzqQxv2HPO037EPg7VIYcBzcb~wIHaL9fLDiEgViSb9R3wkLgLyPO6upDi4n2HLMHo8EaVI0fqf2KTkeUS5ir-34JdK5wx-Eo9-v~AuKUQFqFO2-XQKboHEsfTww0SSw0p7k~9sCq9~1Jnn0fK5u5Ik~JWXy1HadH-NoFcVN4NbgGND3qIiKUzSQVbJOuH4UvIpWWUrCaaPOp2Ngq~LpmugknH7dmRpMlfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Health and Social Services Committee on Tuesday approved Senate Joint Resolution 15, which urges Alaska’s congressional delegation to oppose proposed federal cuts to Medicaid that staff said could threaten coverage for hundreds of thousands of Alaskans.

Sponsor statement: Seth Tigarian, staff to Senator Dunbar, summarized the resolution and told the committee that “More than 250,000 Alaskans, including children, seniors, and people with disabilities, and low income adults rely on Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program for essential services.” He said federal Medicaid funding represents more than $2,000,000,000 each year in Alaska and warned that proposed federal reductions could force the state to consider “drastic reductions in coverage, benefits, or provider payments.”

Why it matters: The staff presentation highlighted that rural and remote communities depend on Medicaid at higher rates because of provider shortages, travel costs, and limited employer insurance; the resolution also noted Medicaid’s role in the tribal health system and its share of births covered.

Committee action: A member moved the resolution from committee with individual recommendations and an attached zero fiscal note. There was no recorded objection and the chair announced that the resolution “passes from committee,” and members were asked to remain after adjournment to sign the committee report.

What the transcript does not show: The resolution is a statement of legislative preference to the congressional delegation and does not itself change state Medicaid law or appropriations.","The committee passed Senate Joint Resolution 15 calling on Alaska’s congressional delegation to oppose proposed federal Medicaid cuts, citing potential impacts on rural communities, tribal health services and the state economy.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee receives cleanup bill to align PBM and TPA regulation; administration supports increased licensing authority

Panel hears wide-ranging testimony on expanding prescriptive authority for naturopathic doctors; committee holds bill

Committee advances resolution backing federal "Lasting Smiles" protections for congenital anomaly care

Committee urges Alaska’s congressional delegation to oppose proposed federal Medicaid cuts