Alaska hearing spotlights licensure push for genetic counselors ahead of HB 293

Certified genetic counselors told the Alaska House Labor and Commerce Committee on Feb. 4 that state licensure would improve patient safety, expand access and make counseling services billable. "Currently, in Alaska, genetic counselors are not enabled to order genetic tests," Monte Worthington, a Providence Cancer Center counselor, said during the committee’s first presentation.

Worthington and April O’Connor, also a certified genetic counselor who participated by phone, described the profession’s training, clinical roles and workforce constraints. They said Alaska is one of about a dozen states without licensure and noted there are seven counselors who live and work in the state, with at least one resident providing care to patients in other states. Worthington said licensure would set minimum academic and clinical standards to protect patients and could help genetic counselors obtain Medicaid and private-payer recognition.

"We do on a fairly, I would say, regular basis come across a scenario where a patient has been misinformed ... by a different provider, not someone who was trained in the field of genetics," O’Connor said, describing cases of misinterpreted test results that led to unnecessary treatment.

The presenters described concrete practical effects they expect from licensure: clearer scopes of practice, the ability for qualified counselors to order genetic tests rather than relying on physician orders, and improved opportunities for private practices and smaller employers to hire counselors if billing becomes sustainable. Worthington said labs and consultancies in other states often employ many counselors (he cited a single hereditary cancer testing lab with about 60 counselors) while Alaska’s lack of licensure limits local jobs and recruitment.

Committee members asked about certification and prevalence. Worthington said national certification is provided by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) and repeated the count of seven practicing counselors in Alaska. Members also discussed where counselors practice — Providence, Southcentral Foundation and facilities affiliated with the Alaska Native Medical Center — and ethical considerations for testing children for adult‑onset conditions.

Cochair Hall told the committee the body expects to hear Representative Fields’ bill next week and identified it as HB 293, the measure presenters had referenced. No formal committee action or vote took place during the Feb. 4 meeting.

Next steps: the committee scheduled HB 293 for a hearing next week; presenters offered to serve as resources for drafting and rule considerations.