An Act relating to the Board of Pharmacy; relating to insurance; relating to pharmacies; relating to pharmacists; relating to pharmacy benefits managers; relating to patient choice of pharmacy; and providing for an effective date.
This bill introduces a new tax in Alaska for health care providers operating in the state. The proposed tax is 5.5% of the providers' net patient revenue. Net patient revenue refers to the income generated from services provided to patients, after deducting any reductions due to uncollected payment. Health care providers include hospitals, medical clinics, special care facilities, nursing care facilities, and medical laboratories that are not operated by the state.
This bill, also known as the Alaska Health Care Consumer's Right to Shop Act, proposes the establishment of a health care insurance policy incentive program. The program mandates health care insurers to create an incentive for policyholders who opt for less expensive services under the same policy. Incentives could be provided as a percentage of the savings, a flat dollar amount, or using any other method deemed reasonable. The bill also requires insurers to provide assistance for cost comparison for services across various providers, accessible via phone or the insurer's website.
House Bill 47 establishes guidelines for direct health care agreements between medical providers and patients. Direct Health Care (DHC) is a subscription for health care services in which patients or employers pay primary care providers a flat, simple periodic fee in exchange for access to a clearly established broad range of health care services. DHC removes some of the financial barriers patients encounter in accessing routine primary care, including preventive, wellness, and chronic care services. With a DHC plan, health care providers aren’t burdened with time-consuming insurance paperwork, leaving more time to spend with [...]
House Bill 108 will provide Alaskans with the information that they need to plan financially for their health care decisions. The bill requires health care providers and insurers to disclose full cost information to patients upon request including any out-of-pocket costs associated with their treatment. The bill also adds a mechanism whereby insurance companies will provide an incentive – a shared savings rebate – to policyholders based upon a choice for healthcare below the average in network cost.
An Act relating to utilization review entities; exempting certain health care providers from making preauthorization requests for certain services; and providing for an effective date.
House Bill 108 will provide Alaskans with the information that they need to plan financially for their health care decisions. The bill requires health care providers and insurers to disclose full cost information to patients upon request including any out-of-pocket costs associated with their treatment. The bill also adds a mechanism whereby insurance companies will provide an incentive – a shared savings rebate – to policyholders based upon a choice for healthcare below the average in network cost.
