House committee works over health care regulation, information bill

By Bradners’ Alaska Legislative Digest

The House Health, Education and Social Services Committee continued work Saturday, Feb. 23, on HB-337, Gov. Sarah Palin’s bill to require health care providers to provide information on costs of services and also to end state regulation of major medical facilities. The legislation has emerged as one of the more controversial bills of the 2008 session with health care providers citing the practical difficulties of providing cost information in a readable and timely format for consumers and opposing the ending of the certificate of need program, a state permit required for construction or expansion of major health care facilities. The committee is considering amendments to the bill that will be discussed at its next meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 26.