Healthcare Reform Commission and Anticipated Legislation

Healthcare Reform Commission and Anticipated Legislation

State of Alaska, HSS health commission has been busy over the past year collecting data to comply with the Affordable Care Act critical to the success of Obamacare.  While SCOTUS will render a decision on the individual health insurance mandate next spring, the Gov. Parnell has appointed several citizens to a fact finding commission, two are physicians, a pain specialist and a pediatrician and representatives from the insurance industry including the Blue Cross.

Below are the important points of the Millman Report and the fact finding commission. These findings are expected to play a significant role in payment reform in this State and it is also an integral part of the Affordable Care Act and the Accountable care Organizations.

·         Millman report highlights

Ø  Data is based on payment data from Government Health programs Medicare, Medicaid, Workers Compensation and the Veterans Administration. It does not truly reflect the private sector.

Ø  Payment disparity between Alaska and Washington, Montana, Idaho and North Dakota

Ø  Higher cost of living in Alaska has not been given much consideration in this report

Ø  Tort reform shelved

Ø  Emphasis on the Alaska Legislation that prevents insurance companies from paying less than the 80^th percentile

Ø  Recommendations to change the way providers are paid in this State with emphasis on changing the legislation that prevents insurers to pay less than the 80^th percentile.

For those interested in learning more, please log onto the HSS website and read the reports. HSS has sent final recommendations to Gov. Parnell. It is anticipated that some representatives in Juneau will introduce a bill to change the way insurance companies are required to pay the providers, i.e. reduce the payment threshold from 80^th percentile to a lower unknown number to reduce the payment disparity between the WAMIO states.

http://www.hss.state.ak.us/healthcommission

(Cut and paste to browser if link does not work)

Harbir Makin, MD