(SitNews) Juneau, Alaska - Monday Governor Dunleavy in his Anchorage Office signed two pieces of timely legislation to help Alaska’s COVID-19 response and preparedness.

House Bill 29 requires health care insurers to provide coverage for telehealth benefits and can reduce consumer and insurer costs. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC and the Alaska Chief Medical Officer have encouraged those with flu-like symptoms to utilize telehealth benefits before overloading the healthcare system, especially emergency rooms.

Rep. Ivy Spohnholz (D-Anchorage) sponsored House Bill 29, which passed the Legislature with overwhelming support. 

Access to telehealth is an important tool for healthcare workers to respond effectively to the new coronavirus, COVID-19, as it allows Alaskans to access initial screenings and routine healthcare without a risk of being exposed to the disease which was recently declared a global pandemic.

“Expanded access to telehealth makes us more prepared to deal with COVID-19,” Representative Spohnholz said. “House Bill 29’s rapid progression through the legislative process proves that Democrats and Republicans – in the House, Senate, and governor’s administration, can and will work together to pass the kind of reforms we need in the coming months.”

While Alaska is already at the forefront of providing telehealth services in urban, rural, aging, and underserved communities across our state, these successes are largely limited to people insured through Medicaid and the Tribal health system. 

HB29 brings the benefits of telehealth to people covered by private plans and increases Alaskans’ access to better, faster healthcare. The new law takes effect immediately. 

Also signed on Monday was House Bill 206 which provides $4 million in state funds for financial resources to the Alaska Department of Health & Social Services for COVID-19 preparedness and response and provides open ended authority to accept any federal funds for COVID-19 response, as requested by the Governor on March 2, 2020. The Dunleavy administration requested $9 million in federal receipt authority to fill 10 public health positions in the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS)

“The Senate recognizes the urgency and fluidness of the health risk facing Alaskans,” said Senator Bert Stedman (R-Sitka) co-chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. “Therefore, we acted swiftly to provide the requested funding to protect all Alaskans.”

The 10 temporary positions within the DHSS Division of Public Health include: 

• Five new public health nurses;
• Three nurse epidemiologists;
• One microbiologist in Fairbanks to assist with lab testing; and 
• One emergency manager to assist in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

Edited By Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

Alaska Office of the Governor
www.gov.alaska.gov

Alaska House Majority
www.akleg.gov

Alaska Senate Majority
www.akleg.gov

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