KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Alaska

HB14 • 2026

MED ASSIST;INSURANCE;DISABILITY/WORK COMP

An Act relating to health care insurance; relating to insurance reimbursement for health care services provided through telehealth; relating to telehealth; relating to workers' compensation coverage for disability from diseases for certain firefighters; repealing programs for catastrophic illness assistance and medical assistance for chronic and acute medical conditions; relating to occupational disability benefits and medical benefits available under the public employees' retirement system; providing for an effective date by amending the effective date of secs. 9 and 10, ch. 38, SLA 2022; and providing for an effective date.

Healthcare Labor Technology
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
REPRESENTATIVES STAPP, Johnson, Schrage
Last action
2026-05-20
Official status
(H) CONCURRED(S) AM
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about the changes in retirement system benefits for public employees, so this claim was removed.

Health Care Insurance Changes

This act changes rules about health care insurance reimbursement for telehealth services, updates telehealth regulations, adds workers' compensation coverage for certain firefighters with diseases, and repeals programs for catastrophic illness assistance.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes how insurance companies pay for health care given through telehealth.
  • Updates the rules for telehealth to make it easier for people to get help from doctors remotely.
  • Adds workers' compensation coverage for certain firefighters who become disabled due to diseases.
  • Repeals programs that provided assistance for catastrophic illnesses and medical conditions.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who use telehealth services
  • Firefighters who become disabled due to diseases

Terms To Know

Telehealth
Health care given through technology like video calls or messaging.
Workers' compensation
Money and medical help for workers who get hurt on the job.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify when it will start.
  • It removes some existing programs without specifying what happens to people already using them.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

AM 1

2896

AM NO 1 ADOPTED Y14 N6

Plain English: The amendment adds provisions for health care insurers to reimburse providers equally for telehealth services as they do for in-person services.

  • Adds a new paragraph to AS 21.42.422(b) defining 'health care provider'.
  • Amends AS 21.42.422 by adding subsection (c), requiring health care insurers to reimburse providers for telehealth services on the same basis and at least at the same rate as in-person services.
  • Adds a new section, AS 29.20.420, making municipal health care insurance plans subject to the requirements of AS 21.42.422(c).
  • Amends AS 39.30.090(a) to include provisions for group health insurance policies covering state employees and other eligible individuals.
  • The amendment text is complex, and some sections may require further clarification or context not provided in the official amendment material.
  • Details about how insurers will implement these changes are not specified.
AM 2

2896

AM NO 2 NOT OFFERED

Plain English: AM NO 2 NOT OFFERED 2896

  • The official amendment file could not be read automatically during the last sync, so only the official amendment metadata is shown right now.
AM 3

2900

AM NO 3 ADOPTED UC

Plain English: The amendment adds provisions for workers' compensation coverage for certain diseases among firefighters, changes the percentage of occupational disability benefits and medical insurance premiums for public employees, and adjusts effective dates for some sections.

  • Adds a presumption that certain diseases are work-related for firefighters if they develop after at least six years of service and meet specific conditions.
  • Increases the monthly amount of an occupational disability benefit from 40% to 75% of the employee's gross monthly compensation.
  • Modifies rules regarding retiree major medical insurance premiums, reducing the percentage employees pay based on their years of service.
  • The amendment text is complex and includes many technical details that are not fully explained in plain English within this summary.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-20 3003

    (H) AWAITING TRANSMITTAL TO GOV

  2. 2026-05-20 3003

    (H) TITLE CHANGE: SCR 36

  3. 2026-05-20 3002

    (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  4. 2026-05-20 3002

    (H) CONCUR AM OF (S) Y39 N1

  5. 2026-05-20 3002

    (H) CONCUR MESSAGE TAKEN UP

  6. 2026-05-20 3001

    (H) CONCUR MESSAGE RECEIVED

  7. 2026-05-20 2903

    (S) VERSION: HB 14 AM S(EFD ADD S)

  8. 2026-05-20 2903

    (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) AS AMENDED

  9. 2026-05-20 2901

    (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  10. 2026-05-20 2901

    (S) PASSED Y19 N1

  11. 2026-05-20 2901

    (S) AUTOMATICALLY IN THIRD READING

  12. 2026-05-20 2900

    (S) AM NO 3 ADOPTED UC

  13. 2026-05-20 2896

    (S) AM NO 2 NOT OFFERED

  14. 2026-05-20 2896

    (S) AM NO 1 ADOPTED Y14 N6

  15. 2026-05-20 2890

    (S) RETURN TO SECOND FOR AMS UC

  16. 2026-05-20 2890

    (S) READ THE THIRD TIME HB 14

  17. 2026-05-20 2874

    (S) ENGROSSMENT WAIVED, RULE 43(B)

  18. 2026-05-20 2858

    (S) MOVED TO BOTTOM OF CALENDAR

  19. 2026-05-19 2801

    (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/20 CAL

  20. 2026-05-19 2801

    (S) READ THE SECOND TIME

  21. 2026-05-19 2801

    (S) RULES TO FIRST SUP CALENDAR 5/19/2026

  22. 2026-05-16 2683

    (S) FN2: ZERO(DOH)

  23. 2026-05-16 2683

    (S) NR: OLSON, KAUFMAN, KIEHL

  24. 2026-05-16 2683

    (S) DP: HOFFMAN, CRONK, MERRICK

  25. 2026-05-16 2683

    (S) FIN RPT 3DP 3NR

  26. 2026-05-15 Min

    (S) Minutes (SFIN)

  27. 2026-05-15 Text

    (S) Moved HB 14 Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change --

  28. 2026-05-15 Text

    (S) FINANCE at 01:30 PM SENATE FINANCE 532

  29. 2026-05-12 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  30. 2026-05-12 Text

    (S) FINANCE at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532

  31. 2026-05-06 2486

    (S) FN2: ZERO(DOH)

  32. 2026-05-06 2486

    (S) DP: MYERS, CLAMAN, GIESSEL, TOBIN

  33. 2026-05-06 2486

    (S) NR: DUNBAR

  34. 2026-05-06 2486

    (S) HSS RPT 1NR 4DP

  35. 2026-05-05 Text

    (S) Moved HB 14 Out of Committee

  36. 2026-05-05 Text

    (S) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  37. 2026-02-17 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  38. 2026-02-17 Text

    (S) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  39. 2025-05-16 1296

    (S) HSS, FIN

  40. 2025-05-16 1296

    (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  41. 2025-05-14 1207

    (H) VERSION: HB 14

  42. 2025-05-14 1207

    (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)

  43. 2025-05-14 1202

    (H) PASSED Y40

  44. 2025-05-14 1202

    (H) READ THE THIRD TIME HB 14

  45. 2025-05-13 1173

    (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/14 CALENDAR

  46. 2025-05-13 1172

    (H) READ THE SECOND TIME

  47. 2025-05-13 1172

    (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/13/2025

  48. 2025-04-30 953

    (H) FN1: ZERO(DOH)

  49. 2025-04-30 953

    (H) NR: HANNAN, JOSEPHSON

  50. 2025-04-30 953

    (H) DP: BYNUM, JOHNSON, ALLARD, STAPP, TOMASZEWSKI, GALVIN, JIMMIE, FOSTER, SCHRAGE

  51. 2025-04-30 953

    (H) FIN RPT 9DP 2NR

  52. 2025-04-29 Min

    (H) Minutes (HFIN)

  53. 2025-04-29 Text

    (H) Moved HB 14 Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change --

  54. 2025-04-29 Text

    (H) FINANCE at 10:00 AM ADAMS 519

  55. 2025-04-28 941

    (H) COSPONSOR(S): SCHRAGE

  56. 2025-04-16 Text

    (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --

  57. 2025-04-16 Text

    (H) FINANCE at 01:30 PM ADAMS 519

  58. 2025-03-21 497

    (H) FN1: ZERO(DOH)

  59. 2025-03-21 497

    (H) NR: MINA

  60. 2025-03-21 497

    (H) DP: PRAX, SCHWANKE, RUFFRIDGE, MEARS

  61. 2025-03-21 497

    (H) HSS RPT 4DP 1NR

  62. 2025-03-18 Min

    (H) Minutes (HHSS)

  63. 2025-03-18 Text

    (H) Moved HB 14 Out of Committee

  64. 2025-03-18 Text

    (H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:15 PM DAVIS 106

  65. 2025-03-11 Text

    (H) -- Public Testimony -- -- MEETING CANCELED --

  66. 2025-03-11 Text

    (H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:15 PM DAVIS 106

  67. 2025-02-18 Min

    (H) Minutes (HHSS)

  68. 2025-02-18 Text

    (H) Heard & Held

  69. 2025-02-18 Text

    (H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:15 PM DAVIS 106

  70. 2025-01-22 34

    (H) HSS, FIN

  71. 2025-01-22 34

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  72. 2025-01-22 34

    (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/10/25

Official Summary Text

MED ASSIST;INSURANCE;DISABILITY/WORK COMP
An Act relating to health care insurance; relating to insurance reimbursement for health care services provided through telehealth; relating to telehealth; relating to workers' compensation coverage for disability from diseases for certain firefighters; repealing programs for catastrophic illness assistance and medical assistance for chronic and acute medical conditions; relating to occupational disability benefits and medical benefits available under the public employees' retirement system; providing for an effective date by amending the effective date of secs. 9 and 10, ch. 38, SLA 2022; and providing for an effective date.