Indigent Sick

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee introduced a bill on Monday that would disqualify anyone who earns over 138% of the federal poverty level from Idaho's County Medically Indigent Program and Catastrophic Health Care Cost Program. The bill will amend existing law to modify who is eligible for the programs, to define "federal poverty level", and to revise the definition of "medically indigent".

Full bill text can be found here

Health Insurance Exchange Transparency

On Tuesday, Representative Christy Perry, R-Nampa, proposed legislation in the House Health and Welfare Committee that would require the Your Health Idaho Health Insurance Exchange to provide specific information concerning health benefit plans to its consumers and for the information to be provided to consumers before the 2016 open enrollment date.

Full bill text can be found here

Wood and Rusche Talk Medicaid Expansion

During the House Health and Welfare Committee meeting on Tuesday, Chairman Fred Wood, R-Burley, discussed Medicaid expansion with Representative John Rusche, D-Lewiston. Chairman Wood had asked the Committee for input regarding the report he was giving on Thursday to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC). He acknowledged that crisis centers and mental health were on the top of his list. Representative Rusche responded by stating that the best thing to do for mental health, for the provision of services as well as funding, is to expand Medicaid to the gap population. Representative Rusche told the Chairman that they could no longer ignore the most significant tool Idaho has to improve mental health services. Chairman Wood replied later with, "The single most valuable thing is a pay source for every single person to have health care. There is no doubt about that". 

An interesting news article about the conversation and an audio clip can be found here

Immunization Board Sunset Date

Currently, Idaho has a universal vaccine program and the state buys all vaccines and distributes them to providers; then the carriers and third party administrators are assessed for their cost share of the vaccines. The program was given a sunset date to review its effectiveness, but because the full effect of the Affordable Care Act on the program is still unclear the board is asking for the sunset date to be prolonged for two more years. This week the bill was reported out of committee with do pass recommendation, filed for a second reading, read a second time, and filed for a third reading.

The full bill text can be found here

Medical Licensure Compact

One bill introduced this week by the House Health and Welfare Committee would allow medical practitioners to obtain licensure in multiple states more easily and to work across state lines through telemedicine, locum tenens positions, large practices in multiple states, and traveling medical teams. Representative John Rusche introduced House Bill No. 150 that would allow Idaho to connect with a new interstate medical compact. The compact would permit states to share common information such as background checks to expedite licenses, but still allow the state medical board to remain in control over the requirements. A common disciplinary system would also be shared; if a practitioner was subject to disciplinary action in one state, they could face similar penalties in another state based on one investigation. Representative Rusche explained that approximately thirteen states are considering the Compact participation legislation and that this legislation supports telehealth and telemedicine.

Full bill text can be found here

Chairman Wood's Presentation to JFAC

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) heard reports from germane committee chairmen on Thursday. Chairman Wood presented the House Health and Welfare Committee's recommendations. He referred to the joint Health and Welfare public hearing that was held last month and explained that the top two concerns of the public were the "gap population", the 78,000 Idahoans who cannot afford health care, and the state's behavioral health contract with Optum. The committee made the following recommendations to JFAC:

• Fully fund at least one more community crisis center in FY2016
• Fully fund the Catastrophic Health Care Program (CAT fund) at least until there is a financing mechanism found for the 78,000 people who cannot afford health insurance
• Fully fund both children and adult mental health services programs in the Department
• Fully fund community hospitalization increases
• Additional funding for Allumbaugh House
• Cover immunizations for Tricare
• Complete food stamp multi-pay issuance
• Where savings can be found, using more legal services provided by the Attorney General's office vs outside private counsel, the savings could be taken advantage of if possible.
• Fund the pay increase for laboratory staff as requested
• Fund four new facility surveyor positions within the Department
• Make salary increases within the Department a priority
• Full federal spending authority for the SHIP grant funding for FY2016

Chairman Wood acknowledged a theme in the recommendations for funding. He stated that the Department is a safety net. There are still 78,000 people without financing for health care. Funding the committee's recommendations would ensure that the safety net remains in place for those individuals.

Medication Synchronization

On Friday, House Bill No. 176 was introduced to authorize medication synchronization and dispensing fee standardization and to provide applicability.  The purpose of this legislation is to allow patients with chronic medications to be able to obtain those prescriptions in a synchronized manner.

Full bill text can be found here

Parental Consent for Tanning Beds

The House Health and Welfare Committee introduced a bill on Friday morning that would require parental consent for minors between the ages 14 and 18 to use artificial tanning beds. Minors under the age of 14 would be restricted from using tanning beds.

Full bill text can be found here

Bills/Rules of Note

If there are specific Bills or Rules that you would like Molly to track, please let her know.

For full bill text and more information regarding bills this session, please go to the Idaho Legislature Bill Center