Women's Issues Committee Teleconference November 29, 2006

Committee members attending:

Nadine Lefebvre, Millie Twitchell, Dee Stelmach, Diana Smith, Zuzanna Bobinski, Toya Winton

Attending: Suzan Hartlieb, Pennelope Goforth, Rosemary Foster, Vicki Spear-Shipley

Meeting called to order at 5:15pm

Millie Twitchell volunteered to become our secretary starting in December 2006 during our Anchorage meeting, minutes to be taken by Nadine Lefebvre this teleconference

Not everyone has copies of previous meeting minutes, electronic versions will be sent and copies can be provided at the December meeting in order to complete this year's business

Concerns: the recent Health Fairs cooperatively sponsored by unions and services provided by Anchorage Hospital. Colleen Savoie, Benefits Account Executive, Alaska USA Insurance Brokers attended at each site. In Anchorage, Colleen said that there is a blood test for women, making a balance with the reduced price PSA test for men. She also said that our Health Benefits Trust is on the verge of considerations on appealing nonpayment of office visit & Pap smear.

Discussion regarding emerging technology, it must be covered. What about experimental procedures, are they covered? When does emerging technology cross the threshold to be an accepted, covered procedure? HPV Human Papilloma Virus test, expensive, not always required.

Committee suggested a letter to the HBT Fred Brown, ask about the annual exam and ask, is this a charge code issue?  See page 45

Toya made a Motion: "That the Women's Committee recommends to the Health Benefits Trust that pelvic & breast exam, laboratory cultures & office visit be covered annually or when recommended by a physician and that it be part of the Health Trust Benefit Plan". Second by Zuzanna, passed unanimously

Costs of blood test et cetera at Health Fair, charged members children under the age of 18 $25.00 for each flu shot. There was some discussion that the families would be reimbursed for those flu shots.

Nadine said that some of the other unions did not have to pay for any of the health tests or the flu shots. When asked if the hospital would do this testing in any other cities such as Bethel, they said they had not been invited. Millie suggested maybe that is because of YKHC which conducts a health fair in Bethel. Maybe they could co-op their efforts.

Discussion about committee vacancies: one in Central, one in Southeast. Pennelope Goforth, Anchorage Chief Steward, has put her name forward as a nominee for the Central seat.  Confusion exists over the status of the committee chair's appointment since the 2006 AFSCME Convention.

Fundraising pin, art selected, artist paid, need money for production. Pin decision will be a December agenda item.

Zuzanna made the Motion: "That the Women's Committee ask the Executive Board for production money for the pin." Second by Millie and Diana, passed unanimously

Lin Davis, plaintiff, gave an update on the Same Sex Benefits Case.  2 bills and one resolution have been written making it a misdemeanor for Commissioner Nordstrand to follow the Alaska Supreme Court Decision to go forward awarding benefits to same sex couples. Governor Murkowski and the Legislature have asked for more time before implementation. An advisory vote will be made by the public in Spring 2007. this is about equal pay for equal work said Lin.

We agreed to have a gift exchange at our December meeting $20 limit.

Toya it has been very cold in Anchorage. We all fly in about the same time, Lin at 9:11, others at 9:15 and 9:56, collect baggage and go to ASEA for meeting. All will meet at the airport and rent a vehicle for the 2 days.