Solicitation for Public Input – Department of Health, Electronic Health Records, Regulatory Revisions.
Notice of Public Scoping Under Administrative Order 360 for possible Department of Health, Electronic Health Records Regulation Changes (Title 7).
Background. In response to Administrative Order 360, the Department of Health (DOH) is soliciting written and oral comments from affected industries, community organizations, and the general public regarding regulations and materials incorporated by reference related to behavioral health services under:
- 7 AAC 85. Electronic and Other Records Containing Behavioral Health Information.
- Article 1. Submission of Information (7 AAC 85.005 — 7 AAC 85.025)
- 7 AAC 85.005. Purpose and coverage of chapter.
- 7 AAC 85.010. Providers subject to this chapter.
- 7 AAC 85.015. Required submission of information.
- 7 AAC 85.020. Submission of electronic information.
- 7 AAC 85.025. Obligation to submit accurate and complete information.
- Article 2. Use, Disclosure, and Access (7 AAC 85.200 — 7 AAC 85.220)
- 7 AAC 85.200. Confidential information.
- 7 AAC 85.205. Use and disclosure of information.
- 7 AAC 85.210. Access to confidential electronic records.
- 7 AAC 85.220. Closure of provider; records.
- Article 3. Electronic Medical Records (7 AAC 85.300)
- 7 AAC 85.300. Electronic medical records.
- Article 4. Security (7 AAC 85.400 — 7 AAC 85.410)
- 7 AAC 85.400. General security requirements.
- 7 AAC 85.405. Electronic access.
- 7 AAC 85.410. Physical access.
- Article 5. General Provisions (7 AAC 85.900 — 7 AAC 85.990)
- 7 AAC 85.900. Records retention.
- 7 AAC 85.990. Definitions.
- Chapter 165. Alaska Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive Program.
- 7 AAC 165.001. Purpose.
- 7 AAC 165.020. Provider registration and attestation.
- 7 AAC 165.030. Participation and payment determinations.
- 7 AAC 165.040. Incentive payments.
- 7 AAC 165.050. Program standards for continuing participation.
- 7 AAC 165.080. Appeals.
- 7 AAC 165.900. Definitions.
- Chapter 166. Statewide Electronic Health Information Exchange System.
- 7 AAC 166.010. Creation of statewide electronic health information exchange system.
- 7 AAC 166.020. Governing body; membership.
- 7 AAC 166.030. Duties of the governing body.
- 7 AAC 166.040. Privacy and security.
- 7 AAC 166.050. Opt-out provisions.
- 7 AAC 166.900. Definitions.
The Department of Health is undertaking this solicitation process to ask the public for ideas, suggestions, and input before the Department of Health drafts or proposes any specific regulation amendments or repeals for public review.
The Department of Health is particularly interested in specific ideas for regulatory change that may:
- clarify existing regulatory obligations;
- reduce costs for the public, industry, or government;
- improve or streamline procedures, application requirements, and review processes, for example reducing the time required to apply for a license, permit, or benefit;
- reduce administrative burdens;
- streamline permitting procedures;
- improve communication procedures;
- provide greater transparency with respect to standards, decision-making, and rationales for application processing; or
- clarify interagency roles.
Written comments. Written comments must be received by 5:00 p.m., November 10, 2025.
Written comments may be sent to by electronic mail to doh.dbh.public.comments@alaska.gov. Written comments may also be submitted to the department addressed to Mr. William Hurr, State of Alaska Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health, 3601 C Street, Suite 934, Anchorage, AK 99503.
Public meeting. Oral comments relevant to this solicitation for public input may be submitted at a hearing to be held on October 27, 2025. The hearing will be offered as a telephone and internet-accessible Zoom meeting. You may join the Zoom meeting by using the Zoom website link or by calling the Zoom Call-in toll-free telephone number and using the Meeting ID and Passcode, as follows:
- To attend the meeting or provide oral comments by telephone, please use the Zoom Call-in Toll-free Number: 1-888-788-0099 (US Toll-free); Meeting ID: 886 5998 5838; and Passcode: 424077.
- To attend the meeting and provide oral comments by Zoom website link, please use the Meeting Zoom link:
There will not be in-person attendance provided at the hearing site, so please prepare to share your oral comments by telephone only. The hearing is scheduled from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and priority will be given to commenters on the line before the beginning of the hearing. The hearing may be extended to accommodate those on the line before 2:30 p.m. who did not have an opportunity to comment. Before the start of the hearing, Department of Health may limit the time allotted for each person providing oral testimony, as reasonably necessary to conclude the hearing in the time provided.
If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation to participate in this process, please contact Mr. William Hurr by electronic mail at doh.dbh.public.comments@alaska.gov or by phone at 907-269-6549 not later than October 21, 2025, to ensure that any necessary accommodation can be provided.
Please note that input provided in response to this solicitation will be subject to inspection, copying, and distribution as public records under AS 40.25.110 – 40.25.220. Please do not include any confidential information in written or oral comments.
Questions. For questions or more information, contact our Agency Regulatory Liaison, Triptaa Surve, at triptaa.surve@alaska.gov.
The Department of Health is not currently proposing any specific regulation change and there are no draft regulations prepared for public comment under the Administrative Procedure Act at this time. If the Department of Health undertakes revisions to these regulations, there will be an additional opportunity to comment on the proposed regulation changes that are released for public review and comment under the Administrative Procedure Act.
The Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health keeps a list of individuals and organizations interested in its regulations. Those on the list will automatically be sent a copy of all the Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health’s notices of proposed regulation changes. To be added to or removed from the list, send a request to the Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health at doh.dbh.public.comments@alaska.gov , giving your name, and either your e-mail address or mailing address, as you prefer for receiving notices.
Individuals can also sign up to receive automated notifications of all State of Alaska notices, including public notice for regulation changes, by subscribing to the Alaska Online Public Notices System: https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Default.aspx .