MASCA Legislative Report 1/28/2018
Trending Articles
LA Times: Anthem expands its policy of punishing patients for ‘inappropriate’ ER visits AP: GOP not behind all of Greitens' proposed budget Washington Missourian editorial: Greitens should step aside, let Mike Parson take the reins JCNT: State of the Judiciary focuses on opioid treatment funding
Key Legislative Updates
No Public Hearing This Week on Work Comp Fee Schedule: Sen. Doug Libla (R-Poplar Bluff), Chairman of Small Business & Industry Committee, has postponed the hearing on the workers compensation fee schedule legislation another week. This is good news for MASCA, as every week that goes by without a hearing makes it more difficult for the proposed legislation to pass during the 2018 legislative session.
AARP Reaches Out on Health Care Designated Care Giver Act: The AARP approached our team last week to discuss the “designated caregiver” legislation that we lobbied against the last few years. As referenced in the bill summary below, this legislation is designed for a hospital setting where a patient can designate someone to be in charge of their care upon discharge. However, the bill is drafted to include ambulatory surgery centers, something we are attempting to get removed from this year’s legislation. They have not filed a bill this year, but we will keep you notified with any updates.
Bill Summary for “Caregiver, Advise, Record, and Enable (CARE):
This bill creates the "Caregiver, Advise, Record, and Enable (CARE) Act," which requires a hospital or ambulatory surgical center to provide each patient or patient's legal guardian with an opportunity to designate a caregiver prior to the patient's discharge. Such designation must include a written consent of the patient or the patient's legal guardian to release confidential medical information to the designated caregiver if such records are necessary for the provision of after-care. Such caregiver designation, or lack thereof, must be documented by the hospital or ambulatory surgical center. The hospital or ambulatory surgical center must notify a patient's caregiver of the patient's discharge or transfer as soon as practicable, and provide the caregiver with the patient's discharge plan or instructions for after-care. Nothing in the bill authorizes or requires compensation of caregivers by a state agency or health carrier. Hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, or employees or contractors of such entities must not be liable in any way for the actions of a caregiver. Nothing in the bill must interfere with the rights of an attorney in fact under a durable power of health care.
Next Week’s Public Hearings on Tracked Legislation:
TUESDAY - 01/23/18
Senate-Insurance and Banking TUESDAY - 01/23/18 8:12 AM, Senate Lounge
Sater, David
This act lowers, from fifty to twenty-five, the minimum number of members an association must have in order to purchase group health insurance
Committee Members: Wieland, Paul (R) / Cunningham, Mike (R) / Crawford, Sandy (R) / Hoskins, Denny (R) / Rowden, Caleb (R) / Sifton, Scott (D) / Walsh, Gina (D)
Senate-Small Business and Industry TUESDAY - 01/23/18 10:15 AM, SCR 1
Schatz, Dave
Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation premiums
Committee Members: Libla, Doug (R) / Wieland, Paul (R) / Hummel, Jacob (D) / Koenig, Andrew (R) / Munzlinger, Brian (R) / Schaaf, Rob (R) / Sifton, Scott (D) / Wallingford, Wayne (R)
Senate-Appropriations TUESDAY - 01/23/18 10:30 AM, SCR 2
Brown, Dan
Extends the sunset on certain healthcare provider reimbursement allowance taxes
Committee Members: Brown, Dan (R) / Cunningham, Mike (R) / Curls, Shalonn (D) / Hegeman, Dan (R) / Holsman, Jason (D) / Hoskins, Denny (R) / Nasheed, Jamilah (D)/ Rowden, Caleb (R) / Sater, David (R) / Schaaf, Rob (R) / Wallingford, Wayne (R)
House-Insurance Policy TUESDAY - 01/23/18 12:00 PM or Upon Morning Adj., whichever is later, HR 4 Public Hearing:
White, William
Modifies the law regarding health insurance adverse determination appeals.
Executive Session:
Hill, Justin
Changes the law relating to short term medical policies sold in the state of Missouri.
Committee Members: Engler, Kevin (R) / Wiemann, John D. (R) / Ellebracht, Mark (D) / Burns, Bob (D) / Messenger, Jeff (R) / Morris, Lynn (R) / Muntzel, Dave (R) / Pfautsch, Donna (R) / Shull, Noel (R) / Stephens, Mike (R) / Tate, Nate (R) / Unsicker, Sarah (D) / Wiemann, John D. (R) / Burnett, Ingrid (D) / Muntzel, Dave (R) / Shull, Noel (R)
WEDNESDAY - 01/24/18
House-Workforce Development WEDNESDAY - 01/24/18 8:00 AM, HR 4 Public Hearing:
Frederick, Keith
Prohibits covenants not to compete.
Committee Members: Lauer, Jeanie (R) / Fitzwater-49, Travis (R) / Roberts, Steve (D) / Evans, Jean (R) / Franks, Bruce (D) / Hansen, Jim (R) / Henderson, Mike (R) / Justus, Jeff (R) / Lant, Bill (R) / Mosley, Jay (D) / Pietzman, Randy (R)
Senate-Government Reform WEDNESDAY - 01/24/18 8:00 AM, SCR 1
Rowden, Caleb
Provides that an insurer who deposits the limits of coverage amount with the court shall not be liable for an amount in excess of the insurer's contractual coverage limits in an inter-pleader action.
Committee Members: Rowden, Caleb (R) / Schatz, Dave (R) / Eigel, Bill (R) / Emery, Ed (R) / Munzlinger, Brian (R) / Rizzo, John (D) / Sifton, Scott (D)
Senate-Seniors/Families and Children WEDNESDAY - 01/24/18 8:00 AM, Senate Lounge
Sater, David
Modifies provisions relating to the disposal of unused controlled substances
Committee Members: Sater, David (R) / Riddle, Jeanie (R) / Emery, Ed (R) / Romine, Gary (R) / Schaaf, Rob (R) / Schupp, Jill (D) / Wieland, Paul (R)
