SUPPLEMENTAL NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES ON HEALTH CARE SERVICES PRICE TRANSPARENCY IN THE REGULATIONS OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

The Department of Health and Social Services proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 7 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with health care services price transparency, including the following:

• A new chapter, 7 AAC 86. Health Care Services Price Transparency, is proposed to clarify AS 18.23.400. Disclosure and reporting of health care services, price, and fee information, including:

  • The method a health care provider and health care facility must comply with to

    • Report the price of health care services;

    • Post the price of health care services;

    • Provide a good faith estimate; and

  • The method the department will use to enforce the law.

This is a SUPPLEMENTAL NOTICE adding to the NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES that was issued on July 19, 2019, concerning these proposed regulation changes contained in the Department of Law file number 2019200198. This SUPPLEMENTAL NOTICE is being issued because the Department of Health & Social Services has decided to amend the proposed regulations. The amendment proposes to require a health care provider or health facility that uses the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes to include the American Medical Association’s copyright notice and disclaimer in each posting or publication.

You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to the Department of Health & Social Services, Division of Public Health, Health Analytics & Vital Records, P.O. Box 110675, Juneau, Alaska 99801. Additionally, the Department of Health & Social Services will accept comments by facsimile at (907) 465-3423 and by electronic mail at clint.farr@alaska.gov . The comments must be received not later than 5 p.m. on June 30, 2020.

You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Mr. Clint Farr by e-mail at clint.farr@alaska.gov or at the Department of Health & Social Services, Division of Public Health, Health Analytics & Vital Records, PO Box 110675, Juneau, Alaska 99801. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Department of Health & Social Services will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System at https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/ .

If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation to participate in this process, please contact Mr. Clint Farr by e-mail at clint.farr@alaska.gov or by telephone at (907) 465-8643 not later than June 19, 2020, to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.

A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and by contacting Mr. Clint Farr by e-mail at clint.farr@alaska.gov or by telephone at (907) 465-8643.

A copy of material proposed for adoption by reference may be viewed at the agency's office at State of Alaska, Department of Health & Social Services, 3601 C Street, Suite 902, Anchorage, AK 99503.

After the public comment period ends, the Department of Health & Social Services will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected. Written comments received are public records and are subject to public inspection.

Statutory authority: AS 18.15.360; AS 18.23.400.

Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 18.15.360; AS 18.23.400.

Fiscal information: It is estimated that the proposed regulation changes will require increased appropriations as follows: FY 2021, $15,400; FY 2022, $15,900; FY 2023: $16,400.

The Division of Public Health, Section of Health Analytics & Vital Records, keeps a list of individuals and organizations interested in its regulations. Those on the list will automatically be sent a copy of all of the Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health, Section of Health Analytics and Vital Records notices of proposed regulation changes. To be added to or removed from the list, send a request to the Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health, Section of Health Analytics and Vital Records at clint.farr@alaska.gov , giving your name, and either your e-mail address or mailing address, as you prefer for receiving notices.

DATE: April 14, 2020
/s/Adam Crum
Commissioner,
Department of Health & Social Services.