Supporters Blame Politics for Failed Alaska Telehealth Legislation

A proposed bill to expand telehealth services in Alaska to deal with the ongoing pandemic has died, and its supporters are blaming partisan politics.

SB 3006, recently introduced by Governor Mike Dunleavy, would have, among other things, allowed healthcare providers to prescribe medications – including come controlled substances – via telehealth without an in-person exam. It was designed to give providers more leeway to treat patients in remote locations and to reduce the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The State Senate passed the bill last week, adding several amendments. They included a provision that would have allowed residents to refuse a COVID-19 vaccine on philosophical, medical or religious grounds, one that would have forced organizations requiring vaccination proof to accept a positive COVID-19 test or antibody test, and one that would have banned organizations from requiring a vaccination for access to open or public areas.

The House voted to remove those amendments over the weekend, but added an amendment that would have required hospitals to change current emergency policies to allow hospitalized patients to have a “support person” by their bedside. Other amendments were set to be added, but lawmakers decided instead to send the bill back to committee.

Supporters of the House amendment said they had heard many stories of residents dying alone in isolation. Opponents noted that federal and state regulations allow hospitals to make that decision, and that exceptions can be made to enable patients near the end of life to have someone at their side.

The Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association had supported the original bill, saying it would have helped hospitals and their patients during the crisis. But the organization withdrew its support when the amendment was added, arguing that medical professionals and not politicians should be making that decision.

“The immediate question then, especially from a legal standpoint: Well, are we allowed to make judgment calls to limit visitation when we think it’s in the interest of safety for everyone?” CEO Jared Kosin told the Anchorage Daily News.

The committee did not pass the bill back to the full House for a vote before a Tuesday night deadline, effectively killing the measure. Members said the bill might have passed the House, but it wouldn’t have survived a Senate vote.

“It just opens up the high potential for unintended consequences, all when the sole intent behind the bill was to bring some relief and enhance the ability to respond,” Kosin added. “This is a distraction and causes our facilities to take a step back, and that’s frustrating.”