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Committee hears HB14 to repeal long-unused catastrophic medical assistance program; fiscal note minimal
Summary
Representative staff introduced HB14 to repeal the Catastrophic and Acute Medical Assistance (CHEM) statute, saying the program has effectively not served Alaskans since 2021 and funding was removed from the budget; the department’s fiscal note assigns no ongoing cost but indicates regulation updates would be required.
House Bill 14, introduced to the Alaska Senate Finance Committee on May 12, would repeal the Catastrophic and Acute Medical Assistance (CHEM) statute. Representative staff told the committee the program had fallen into disuse—serving one Alaskan in 2021 and none since—and that funding was removed from the budget two years earlier, meaning the statute remains but the program is effectively unfunded and administratively obsolete.
The sponsor’s representative said the repeal would tidy state statute and free department staff to focus on active assistance programs. Deb Etheridge (Division of Public Assistance) and Courtney Enright (Department legislative liaison) were listed as available for questions. Senator Kiel summarized the Department of Health fiscal note as showing no fiscal cost to continue the repeal but noted regulatory changes would be necessary.
Committee members set the bill aside for further deliberation and did not vote to advance or defeat the measure at the hearing.
