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February 28, 2020 Hello health care advocates, We have completed FIVE weeks of the legislative session, only TWO more left! Please see below for an updated list of bills UHPP is following, and their current status. The main updates for this week: HB 207 - Representative Thurston's insulin access bill passed out of the House and has arrived in the Senate. It will be in HHS Monday Morning! SB74 - Senator Kitchen's family planning services bill passed out of Senate and has made it to the House. It will be in HHS at 4:00 on Monday! HB 313 - Representative Ballard's telehealth bill passed the House and is headed to the Senate. Check out our website for a bill tracker that updates DAILY, as well as rotating calls to action and other information: http://www.healthpolicyproject.org/2020-legislative-session/ | |
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BILLS WE'RE SUPPORTING HB 210 Insurance Coverage for Children Amendments, Representative Ward This 'Keeping Kids Covered' bill would provide 12- month continuous eligibility for kids on Medicaid, and would address other potential barriers to coverage for children by allowing automatic CHIP premiums and chartering a study on Utah’s kids churn issue. STATUS: Ranked #14 on Social Service Appropriations Ongoing Priority List and #18 on the one-time list. Will move forward as an appropriation rather than as a bill. | |
HB 195 Identifying Wasteful Healthcare Spending, Representative Harrison Directs the Utah Department of Health, or third party firm, to analyze All Payer Claims Database (APCD) and report yearly on wasteful spending in Utah. STATUS: Ranked #48 on Social Service Appropriations Ongoing Priority List House/ Passed 3rd Reading Senate HHS Passed | Senate 2nd Reading | |
HB 207 Insulin Access Amendments, Representative Thurston This bill creates an incentive for health benefit plans to reduce the required copayments for insulin. As well as increasing the number of days for which an insulin prescription can be refilled, increasing the length of time an insulin prescription can last, and increases the number of professions that can be licensed to prescribe insulin. STATUS: House/ HHS Passed | House/ Passed 3rd Reading Senate HHS Monday at 8:00 | |
HB 38 Substance Use and Health Care Amendments, Representative Daw Directs the Utah Department of Health to apply for a waiver allow inmates with substance use disorder to apply for and receive Medicaid benefits up to 30 days before release from a correctional facility. Creates a substance use and mental health tele-health pilot program to be conducted in one or more county jails, and tax refund for qualifying clinicians providing care for incarcerated individuals. STATUS: Ranked #34 on Social Service Appropriations Ongoing Priority List and #11 on the one-time list House/ Passed 3rd Reading Senate/ B&L Committee Passed | Senate/ Passed 2nd Reading Senate placed on 3rd Reading Calendar table | |
SB 74 Family Planning Services, Senator Kitchen This bill requires the Division of Health Care Financing to apply for a Medicaid waiver or a state plan amendment to extend family planning services to certain low-income individuals; and extends the sunset date for the current reporting requirement. STATUS: Senate HHS- Favorable Recommendation Senate/ 2nd Reading Passed House HHS Monday at 4:00 | |
SB 190 Prescription Drug Importation Amendments, Senator Hemmert This bill requires the Department of Health to submit a request to the United States Department of Health and Human Services for a prescription drug importation program. If the request is approved, this bill requires PEHP to operate a two-year pilot prescription drug importation program for the state's health insurance risk pool. STATUS: Senate Rules Committee | |
HB 32 Crisis Services Amendment, Representative Eliason Expanded crisis services including expanded mobile crisis outreach statewide, receiving center pilot program, and statewide warm line. STATUS: Ranked #25, 26 and 42 on Social Service Appropriations Ongoing Priority List and #5 on the one-time list House HHS / Unanimous Favorable Recommendation House/ 3rd Reading Passed Senate HHS Monday at 8:00 HB 35 Mental Health Treatment Access Amendments, Representative Eliason Modifies and enacts provisions related to mental health treatment access. Gives recommendations on the need for more adult beds at the Utah State Hospital. Outlines the responsibilities of assertive community outreach treatment teams (ACT teams) and requests a grant to develop ACT teams. The third substitute version also creates a Utah Substance Use and Advisory Council within the Governor's office. STATUS: Ranked #40 on Social Service Appropriations Ongoing Priority List House/ Passed 3rd Reading Senate/ HHS Passed | Senate 3rd Reading Calendar | |
HB 313 Telehealth Parity Amendments , Representative Ballard This bill amends the definition of telemedicine services; clarifies the scope of telehealth practice; and requires certain health benefit plans to provide coverage parity and commercially reasonable reimbursement for telehealth services and telemedicine services. STATUS: House/ Business and Labor Committee Passed House 3rd Reading Calendar | |
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HB 34 Tanning for Minors, Representative Daw Removes the provision that allows a minor to tan with a parent's consent. Directs the department to post warning signs that are consistent with this bill. The substitute version that passed the House maintains the physician consent provision. STATUS: House/ Passed 3rd Reading Senate Business and Labor Committee- Held | |
BILLS WE’RE WATCHING HB 272 Pharmacy Benefit Manager Amendments, Representative Ray Implements more transparency measures on PBMs. Requires the Insurance Department to annually publish the total value of rebates and administrative fees received by a PBM from a pharmaceutical manufacturer. STATUS: House HHS - Favorable Recommendation House/ circled | |
HB 279 Emergency Services Balance Billing Amendments, Representative Brammer New surprise billing legislation. Details coming soon! STATUS: House Rules Committee SB 155 Medical Billing Amendments, Senator Mayne Requires health care facilities and providers who do balance billing for certain services to submit a report to the Insurance Department. Implements rules, and penalties, for those that do not comply with submitting information STATUS: Senate Business and Labor Committee - Favorable Recommendation | |
HB 86 Adult Autism Treatment Program, Representative Hall Works to create the Adult Autism Treatment Account to allocate more money for this specific budgeting. STATUS: House HHS/ Passed | House/ Passed 3rd Reading Senate Business and Labor/ Passed Placed on House Concurrence Calendar | |
SB 44 Limited Support Services Waiver Amendments, Senator Hemmert Amends provisions relating to the allocation of new appropriations to the Division of Services for People with Disabilities STATUS: Senate HHS Passed | Senate/ Passed 3rd Reading House/ HHS Committee Passed House return to Rules due to fiscal impact | |
HB 97 Newborn Safe Haven Amendments, Representative Arent This bill subjects to certain requirements, allows a parent or a parent's designee to safely relinquish a newborn child within 30 days after the day on which the child is born. STATUS: House HHS Passed | House/ Passed 3rd Reading Senate HHS Passed | Senate/ Passed 2nd Reading | |
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Don't forget that Health Care Round Table will meet next Wednesday, March 4th, at 1:00 PM in the Kletting room. Please come to share updates and recruit help from our coalition. | |
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