MASCA Legislative Report 4/2
Attached
Top News of the Week
SE Missourian: Jason Smith: Most GOP members on board with health-care bill; others "holding out for perfection" AP: Opioid drug tracking program advances in House AP: Missouri House votes down Medicaid expansion Missourinet: Galloway audit underway to review state prescription drug expenses through Medicaid and CHIP
AP: Greitens signs change to expert witness vetting P-D: Second-half legislative preview: Tax credits, school choice, PDMP, more
Key Updates
Radiologic Imaging & Radiation Therapy Act: Given that this is the time of year when amendments begin to fly, I wanted to follow up and confirm MASCA’s position on HB 789, an act titled “Missouri Patient Safety in Radiologic Imaging and Radiation Therapy Act.” The bill as heard in the Professional Registration and Licensing Committee on March 15th, but has not yet been passed out of committee. If passed, this would allow the board of healing arts to set scope of practice and certification standards for imaging. The bill is backed by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, but the Missouri State Medical Association and Missouri Academy of Family Physicians are working in opposition. Mainly, we want to ensure this bill does not place additional cost and regulations on ASCs if you have to have a certified radiology technologist on staff. Link to bill.
Hospital Licensure: The Missouri Hospital Association is pushing legislation that is designed to eliminate duplicative/conflicting inspections between the state and federal level. If the board thinks this is a similar problem with inspection of ASCs, we can work to amend this legislation to include ASCs. Link to bill.
APRN Scope Bill: On Wednesday, HB 165 was defeated by a vote of 6-5 in the House Professional Registration & Licensing Committee. This bill would have moved collaborative practice arrangements under the Board of Nursing and removed all physician supervision standards that are currently enforced through regulations that were jointly promulgated between the Board of Healing Arts and the Board of Nursing.
Expert Witnessed Signed by Governor: Governor Eric Greitens (R) signed our expert witness tort reform legislation on Monday, marking the second bill he has signed since being sworn into office in January. This bill would make Missouri’s expert witness standards mirror federal standards, which are designed to ensure someone is truly an expert when providing expert testimony in a lawsuit. Moreover, this will require evidence to be based on scientific data and prevent junk science from being submitted as expert testimony.
PDMP Approved by House: The House gave first round approval on Wednesday to the Narcotics Control Act, which creates a statewide Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) that mirrors the county-level programs that should be live before the end of the year.
Hearings this week
MONDAY - 04/03/17 House-Fiscal Review
(POSTING CHANGE) MONDAY - 04/03/17 1:30 PM, HR 5 Executive Session:HB 90 Rehder, HollyEstablishes the Narcotics Control Act. Committee Members: Haefner, Marsha (R) / Vescovo, Rob (R) / Morgan, Judy (D) / Alferman, Justin (R) / Conway-104, Kathie (R) / Fraker, Lyndall (R) / Morris, Lynn (R) / Rowland-29, Rory (D) / Smith-163, Cody (R) / Swan, Kathy (R) / Unsicker, Sarah (D) / Wessels, Alfred J. (D) / Wiemann, John D. (R) / Wood, David (R)
Senate-Professional Registration MONDAY - 04/03/17 2:00 PM, SCR 1 HB 122 Frederick, KeithModifies provisions regarding physicians providing sports medicine services. Committee Members: Riddle, Jeanie (R) / Rowden, Caleb (R) / Cunningham, Mike (R) / Eigel, Bill (R) / Schupp, Jill (D) / Sifton, Scott (D) / Wieland, Paul (R)
TUESDAY - 04/04/17 House-Insurance Policy
TUESDAY - 04/04/17 12:00 PM or upon morning adj., whichever is later, HR 4 Public Hearing:HB 298 Lichtenegger, DonnaSpecifies the minimum reimbursement amount for covered physical therapy services delivered under health benefit plans.Executive Session:HB 716 Barnes-60, JasonEstablishes a Prescription Abuse Registry. Committee Members: Engler, Kevin (R) / Wiemann, John D. (R) / Ellebracht, Mark (D) / Burnett, Ingrid (D) / Burns, Bob (D) / Messenger, Jeff (R) / Morris, Lynn (R) / Muntzel, Dave (R) / Pfautsch, Donna (R) / Shull, Noel (R) / Stephens, Mike (R)
WEDNESDAY - 04/05/17
Senate-Government Reform
WEDNESDAY - 04/05/17 8:00 AM, SCR 1 HB 452 Austin, KevinModifies definitions of 'employee' and 'physician employee' in actions against health care providers for personal injury or death. Committee Members: Emery, Ed (R) / Schatz, Dave (R) / Eigel, Bill (R) / Munzlinger, Brian (R) / Rizzo, John (D) / Rowden, Caleb (R) / Sifton, Scott (D)
House-Health and Mental Health Policy
WEDNESDAY - 04/05/17 12:00 PM or upon conclusion of morning session, HR 7 Public Hearing:SB 194 Wallingford, WayneProvides that a managed care plan's network is adequate if the health carrier is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.Executive Session:HB 88 Rehder, HollyExempts health care entities registered with the department of health and senior services that distribute hypodermic needles or syringes from the crime of unlawful delivery of drug paraphernalia.HB 125 Frederick, KeithEstablishes the "Right to Shop Act" to allow state employees to obtain cost estimates for health care services.HB 437 Neely, JamesAllows persons with certain serious medical conditions to use medical cannabis.HB 1069 Bondon, JackChanges the laws regarding hospital licensure. Committee Members: Frederick, Keith (R) / Morris, Lynn (R) / Arthur, Lauren (D) / Haefner, Marsha (R) / Messenger, Jeff (R) / Pfautsch, Donna (R) / Smith-163, Cody (R) / Stephens, Mike (R) / Stevens, Martha (D) / Walker, Cora Faith (D) / Wiemann, John D. (R)
