Alaska insurance laws

What it would do: The Alaska State Legislature urges the U.S. Congress to pass the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act, which would require private health insurance plans to cover medically necessary treatment for congenital anomalies without lifetime or annual limits.

What it would do: Expands exceptions to insurance rebate prohibitions to include value-added products or services, wellness program rewards, and noncash gifts under specified conditions. Prohibits insurers from offering insurance as an incentive for purchasing other policies or advertising insurance as free or no-cost.

What it would do: Excludes transportation network company drivers and delivery network company couriers from workers' compensation coverage and establishes they are independent contractors if certain conditions are met, including no prescribed hours, freedom to use competing networks, and a written independent contractor agreement.

What it would do: Requires health care insurers to reimburse health care providers for telehealth services on the same basis and at least at the same rate as comparable in-person services, and applies this requirement to municipal and state employee health insurance plans.

What it would do: Prohibits insurers and businesses from charging additional fees or imposing different rates for providing paper statements, invoices, notices, or other documents, though duplicate copies may be charged for. Allows the director to adopt regulations to implement and enforce these provisions.

What it would do: Converts pharmacy benefits managers and third-party administrators from registration to licensure requirements under Alaska insurance law, establishing qualification standards, examination authority, and renewal procedures for both entities effective January 1, 2026.

What it would do: Increases occupational disability benefits for peace officers and firefighters under the public employees' retirement system from 40 percent to 75 percent of gross monthly compensation after the first 12 months of eligibility, and requires employers to continue making retirement contributions on behalf of disabled members.

What it would do: Requires health care insurers in Alaska to cover prophylaxis, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome, including antimicrobials, medications, behavioral therapies, immunomodulating medicines, plasma exchange, and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, with specified restrictions on denials and limitations.

What it would do: Repeals the Workers' Compensation Appeals Commission and transfers its appellate jurisdiction to superior courts effective June 1, 2026, with pending cases before the Commission continuing until December 1, 2026.

What it would do: Requires health care insurers to reimburse non-network health care providers at least 75 percent of the median reimbursement rate paid to network providers for the same service or supply based on the insurer's network rates in Alaska at the time of service delivery.

What it would do: Expands direct health care agreements to include dental care services and requires insurers offering dental plans to file annual dental loss ratio reports with the director, who must identify outliers and may order remediation including premium rebates.

What it would do: Creates a licensing system for respiratory care practitioners under the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, establishing licensure requirements, scope of practice, disciplinary procedures, and including respiratory care practitioners in various state health care provider definitions and protections.

What it would do: Requires the director to set regulations establishing standards for health care insurers to set allowable charges for health care services, based on the 75th percentile of in-state charges or 450 percent of Medicare rates for primary care, with periodic audits and uniform application across providers.

What it would do: Requires health care insurers to cover prosthetic and orthotic devices at levels matching federal Medicare standards, including all medically necessary devices, materials, repairs, and replacements without lifetime restrictions. Adds prosthetic and orthotic devices as optional medical assistance services.

What it would do: Establishes a regulatory framework for travel insurance in Alaska, including classification as inland marine insurance, licensing requirements for travel insurance limited producers and travel retailers, sales practice standards, and premium tax provisions for travel insurers.

What it would do: Requires health insurers and state employee health plans to cover prescription contraceptives and related services without cost sharing, with limited exceptions for religious employers. Requires Medicaid to cover prescription contraceptives for 12-month periods and related services if federal approval is obtained by January 1, 2027.

What it would do: Establishes licensure requirements for genetic counselors under the State Medical Board, creates a Genetic Counseling Advisory Council, and adds genetic counselors to definitions of health care providers in medical malpractice, telehealth, and group health insurance statutes. Allows current practitioners to continue without a license until July 1, 2027.

What it would do: Adds members of an agricultural cooperative to the list of persons exempt from coverage under the Alaska Workers' Compensation Act. Defines agricultural cooperative as one organized to market agricultural products or purchase agricultural supplies for members.

What it would do: Requires insurers to issue employers written workers' compensation insurance certificates containing employer name, insurer name, employee count, estimated payroll by classification, policy expiration date, and a QR code linking to an online verification tool. Requires the division to provide an online verification tool on its website.

What it would do: Prohibits insurers from requiring annual deductibles exceeding $1,700 for individual health care insurance plans or $3,400 for family plans.

What it would do: Increases workers' compensation insurance tax rate from 2.7% to 4%, authorizes the board to adjust employer and insurer service fee percentages up to 4% annually, and allows electronic mail service of workers' compensation documents to authorized representatives.

What it would do: Requires health insurance providers to maintain minimum provider networks including hospitals, facilities, and practitioners licensed in Alaska, with specific percentage thresholds by region (85-95 percent of actively practicing physicians and provider groups in each specialty), effective January 1, 2026.

What it would do: Requires health care insurers offering group or individual policies to provide price comparison tools, develop incentive programs rewarding enrollees who choose lower-cost providers, and share savings with covered persons and employers. Reserves state authority over health care price disclosure regulations.

What it would do: Establishes the Alaska Flood Authority as a nonprofit entity requiring all property insurers to maintain membership, and creates a state flood insurance program offering coverage up to $1,000,000 for residential and $2,000,000 for commercial properties in special flood hazard areas.