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2020 SESSION

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Senate Committee on Education and Health
Subcommittee Health

Clerk: Patty Lung
Staff: Julia Carlton, Anna Moir
Date of Meeting: January 14, 2020
Time and Place: 4:00pm Senate Subcommitte Room 2, 5th Floor Pocahontas

S.B. 185

Nursing homes and assisted living facilities; possession and administration of cannabidiol or THC-A oil. Allows nursing home and assisted living facility staff members who are authorized to possess, distribute, or administer medications to residents to store, dispense, or administer cannabidiol oil or THC-A oil to a resident who has been issued a valid written certification for such medication.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 32.1-127 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered 18.2-251.1:2 and 63.2-1803.01, relating to nursing homes and assisted living facilities; possession and administration of cannabidiol or THC-A oil.

20103901D

S.B. 365

Provider credentialing. Requires the State Board of Health to promulgate regulations requiring a health carrier to establish reasonable protocols and procedures that deem a provider credentialed who has been approved for credentialing by a licensed hospital within 14 days of such approval if such licensed hospital has a contract with the health carrier to provide health care services to a covered person under a health benefit plan offered by the health carrier as a member of the health benefit plan's network.

A BILL to direct the State Board of Health to promulgate regulations regarding the credentialing process for health care providers; health carriers and hospitals.

20101925D

S.B. 568

Board of Medical Assistance Services; state pharmacy benefits manager. Requires the Board of Medical Assistance Services (the Board) to select, every four years, a third-party administrator to serve as the state pharmacy benefits manager used by Medicaid managed care organizations under the state plan for medical assistance. Under the bill, the state pharmacy benefits manager is responsible for all claims under the state plan. The bill requires the Board, in selecting the state pharmacy benefits manager, to establish eligibility criteria, develop a master contract to be used between the state pharmacy benefits manager and a Medicaid managed care organization, and establish mandatory disclosures for the applicants. The bill requires the state pharmacy benefits manager, in consultation with the Director of Medical Assistance Services (the Director), to develop a drug formulary for use when administering prescribed drug benefits on behalf of a Medicaid managed care organization under the state plan. The bill prohibits payments for drugs that exceed the per unit price on the formulary. The bill requires the Director to establish an appeals process by which pharmacies may appeal any disputes relating to the maximum allowable cost set by the state pharmacy benefits manager. The bill requires the state pharmacy benefits manager to provide a quarterly report to the Board containing certain information.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 32.1-325.04, relating to the Board of Medical Assistance Services; state pharmacy benefits manager.

20101952D

S.B. 569


Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; Department of State Police; mobile applications; mental health and public safety. Requires the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) to develop or obtain a mental health mobile application to facilitate the provision of crisis intervention services by licensed clinicians to individuals in the Commonwealth through calls, texts, and online chat portals. The bill requires the mobile application to be integrated with the crisis intervention phone hotline administered by a third-party provider under contract with the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) and requires DMAS to provide DBHDS with data and other information necessary to ensure such integration. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources is directed to promote, market, and advertise the use of such application.

The bill also requires the Department of State Police, in coordination with the Virginia Fusion Intelligence Center, to (i) develop or obtain a public safety mobile application to enable individuals in the Commonwealth to furnish confidential tips to the Department of State Police through text, audio, images, or video concerning a suspected, anticipated, or completed criminal violation or a school-related safety concern and (ii) develop a referral system to ensure that such confidential tips are referred to the appropriate law-enforcement agency, school board, threat assessment team, or other relevant entity. The Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security is directed to promote, market, and advertise the use of such application.

The bill directs DBHDS and the Department of State Police to coordinate the development or procurement of one comprehensive mobile application or separate mobile applications.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 37.2-312.3 and by adding in Chapter 11 of Title 52 a section numbered 52-50, relating to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Department of State Police; mobile applications; mental health and public safety.

20101473D

S.B. 572

Alzheimer's disease and related dementias; early detection and diagnosis; risk reduction and care planning. Provides that, the Department of Health, in consultation with the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, shall have the lead responsibility for taking actions to address and reduce the risks and impairments associated with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias within the Commonwealth.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 2 of Title 32.1 an article numbered 18, consisting of a section numbered 32.1-73.13, relating to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias; early detection and diagnosis; risk reduction and care planning.

20101864D

S.B. 657

Board of Health; certificate of birth; change of sex. Establishes that, upon request of a person and in accordance with requirements of the Board of Health, the State Registrar shall issue a new certificate of birth to show a change of sex of the person and, if a certified copy of a court order changing the person's name is submitted, to show a new name. Requirements related to obtaining a new certificate of birth to show a change of sex may include a requirement that the person requesting the new certificate of birth submit an affidavit provided by a health care provider from whom the person has received treatment stating that the person has undergone clinically appropriate treatment for the purpose of gender transition. Requirements related to obtaining a new certificate of birth to show a change of sex shall not include any requirement for evidence or documentation of any medical procedure.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 32.1-261 and 32.1-269 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Board of Health; certificate of birth; change of sex.

20101198D

S.B. 738

Temporary detention for observation and treatment. Clarifies that a person can be subject to a temporary detention order for observation and treatment related to intoxication, upon a finding that (i) probable cause exists to believe the person is incapable of making or communicating an informed decision regarding treatment due to intoxication and (ii) that observation, testing, or treatment is necessary within the next 24 hours to prevent injury, disability, death, or other harm to the individual resulting from such intoxication. The bill also provides for the tolling of an emergency custody order for the period during which the person who is the subject of the emergency custody order is also subject to a temporary detention order for observation and treatment.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 37.2-1104 of the Code of Virginia, relating to temporary detention for observation and treatment.

20105059D

S.B. 739

Acute psychiatric bed registry; information required to be reported. Adds information about the (i) total number of licensed beds, (ii) total number of staffed beds, (iii) current bed utilization, (iv) change in bed utilization since the most recent update, (v) number of beds actually available, (vi) number of requests for admission received since the most recent update, (vii) number of individuals admitted since the most recent update, and (vii) number of requests for admission denied since the most recent update and the reason for each such denial to the list of information that must be submitted to the acute psychiatric bed registry (the registry) daily by each public and private inpatient psychiatric facility and every public and private residential crisis stabilization unit in the Commonwealth. The bill also directs the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to create a work group to evaluate the purpose, structure, and effectiveness of the registry and make recommendations for statutory, budgetary, or other actions necessary to redefine the purpose of the registry and improve its structure and effectiveness. The work group shall report its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the Governor and the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Education and Health, House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions, and the Joint Subcommittee to Study Mental Health Services in the Commonwealth in the Twenty-First Century by November 1, 2020.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 37.2-308.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the acute psychiatric bed registry; information required to be reported.

20103050D