An Act relating to the practice of respiratory care; relating to the duties of the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development; relating to telehealth provided by respiratory care practitioners; relating to medical malpractice liability of respiratory care practitioners; relating to immunity from civil liability for a respiratory care practitioner providing free health care services; relating to respiratory care practitioners providing documentation and treatment plans for public school students with asthma or anaphylaxis; prohibiting unfair discrimination under group health insurance against respiratory care practitioners; and providing for an effective date.

34th Legislature (2025-2026)

Alaska bill expands respiratory care practitioners' authority to provide telehealth, develop school asthma/anaphylaxis plans, and offer unpaid care with liability protection.

(H) Heard & Held

#crimes #economicdevelopment #hospitals #licensing #medicalcare #occupations&professions #physicians #regulations

Legislative bill overview

HB 362 expands the scope of practice for respiratory care practitioners in Alaska by authorizing telehealth services, enabling them to develop asthma and anaphylaxis treatment plans for school students, and providing liability protections for unpaid charitable care. The bill also prohibits health insurance discrimination against respiratory care practitioners and clarifies their professional duties under state commerce regulations.

Why is this important

Respiratory care practitioners currently operate under limited scope-of-practice restrictions that may reduce access to respiratory care services, particularly in rural or underserved areas where telehealth could expand availability. The bill could improve emergency preparedness in schools by allowing trained respiratory practitioners to assist with asthma and anaphylaxis protocols, addressing a public health gap while creating liability certainty for volunteer services.

Potential points of contention

Scope creep concerns: Physicians and other healthcare providers may argue that expanded practitioner authority without additional licensure requirements or supervision standards could compromise patient safety

Insurance market impact: Prohibiting discrimination against respiratory care practitioners in group health insurance may increase insurance costs or trigger coverage disputes over practitioner-delivered services

School liability questions: Allowing practitioners to develop school treatment plans raises questions about medical oversight, parental consent procedures, and liability allocation if treatment protocols cause harm