The department shall adopt regulations under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act) governing the manner in which it may consider adding debilitating medical conditions to the list provided in AS 17.37.070.
After the adoption of the regulations, the department shall also accept for consideration physician or patient initiated petitions to add debilitating medical conditions to the list provided in AS 17.37.070 and, after hearing, shall approve or deny the petitions within 180 days after submission. The denial of a petition shall be considered a final agency action subject to judicial review.