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Committee adopts substitute language and moves resolution opposing proposed federal Medicaid cuts
Summary
The committee adopted a committee substitute to Senate Joint Resolution 15 that updates Medicaid enrollment figures, clarifies tribal/Indian Health Service coverage, and adds language that specifies nearly $880 billion in proposed federal Medicaid cuts would be spread over 10 years; the substitute was moved from committee with a fiscal note.
The Alaska Senate Health and Social Services Committee adopted a committee substitute for Senate Joint Resolution 15 on April 1, 2025, and moved the resolution from committee with individual recommendations and an attached fiscal note.
Ariel Wigan, health and social services committee aide, told the committee the substitute incorporated updated data from the Department of Health: the percentage of births covered by Medicaid was revised to 36 percent; updated the share of enrollees who are under‑18; and clarified how Medicaid services apply to patients covered by Indian Health Service or tribally operated facilities. Wigan said the language referencing federal budget negotiations was revised to reflect the current status of discussions.
Sen. Hughes sought to clarify how the resolution frames the federal cuts, noting public readers commonly consider annual impacts rather than multiyear totals. Hughes said, "I would say I am disappointed that the over the 10 years didn't get included on page 3 line 5" and proposed a conceptual amendment to add "over 10 years." He withdrew that version and offered a revised conceptual amendment to specify that the referenced nearly $880,000,000,000 in federal Medicaid spending reductions occur "over 10 years." Committee members adopted the conceptual amendment without objection.
After discussion, Sen. Tobin moved the committee substitute (version N) from committee "with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note as amended." Hearing no objections, the chair announced SJR 15 as amended was moved from committee. The clerk will prepare transmittal documents for signatures.
Committee staff said the resolution was previously heard on March 25 and March 27 with public testimony; the substitute before the committee on April 1 reflected updated data provided by the Department of Health. No formal recorded roll‑call vote was taken in the transcript; the motion carried by unanimous consent ("hearing none, moved from committee").
The committee directed staff to forward the substitute and fiscal note and to have members sign transmittal documents at the meeting's end.
