Senate passes important health care bills before ‘crossover’
The Georgia Senate also passed important health care legislation this week before the “crossover” deadline, including…
S.B. 28, a bill by Sen. Lester Jackson (D-Savannah) that would require health insurance copays to be “reasonable in relation to covered benefits to which they apply” and would “require that copays be used as an incentive rather than a barrier to accessing appropriate care.” MAG supports this legislation, which has been assigned to the House Insurance Committee.
S.B. 311, a bill by Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick, M.D. (R-Marietta) that would prohibit kickbacks, commissions, bribes, benefits, rebates, and bonuses by substance abuse providers or solicited by substance abuse providers to induce referral of a patient and outlaws fraudulent marketing techniques designed to deceive individuals into expensive long term recovery facilities. This measure would also prohibit ‘high-tech drug testing’ (i.e., testing an individual’s specimen for a number of different substances and billing and receiving payment separately for each substance that's tested). MAG is watching this legislation, which has been assigned to the House Special Committee on Access to Quality Health Care.
S.B. 321, a bill by Sen. Chuck Hufstetler (R-Rome) that would increase the physician oversight ratio from 4:1 for APRNs and 2:1 for PAs (4:1 in certain locations) to 6:1 for all mid-level providers – giving physicians the freedom to choose the mix – although the ratio limit in hospitals, colleges or universities, the Georgia Department of Public Health, county boards of health, community service boards, free health clinics, birthing centers, or federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) would not change. This bill would also eliminate the requirements for PAs be “licensed to” a physician and for a physician to “regularly” see patients where their PA practices. MAG is watching this legislation, which has been assigned to the House Regulated Industries Committee.
S.B. 375, a bill by Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga) that would restrict the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, tobacco related objects, alternative nicotine products, or vapor products to those 21 years of age and older. MAG supports this legislation, which has been assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee.
S.B. 391, a bill by Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick, M.D. (R-Marietta) that would allow pharmacists to fill a 30-day supply of a prescription medication early when a state of emergency has been declared or when a hurricane warning has been issued – Schedule II medications notwithstanding. This would only apply when a pharmacist determines that the prescription is 1) essential to the maintenance of life or the continuation of therapy for a chronic condition and 2) the interruption of such therapy might reasonably produce undesirable health consequences or cause physical or mental discomfort. Under S.B. 391, the pharmacist would have to let the prescriber know about the early prescription request within 48 hours. And, insurers would be required to cover these early prescriptions. MAG will continue to monitor this bill, which has been assigned to the House Special Committee on Access to Quality Health Care.
S.B. 417, a bill by Sen. Kirkpatrick that would address problematic language that is related to background checks in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact bill that passed last year. MAG supports this legislation, which has been assigned to the House HHS Committee.
S.B. 484, a bill by Sen. Kirkpatrick that calls for Georgia to join a multistate compact that is will “incentivize the development of cures for diseases through substantial financial awards.” The compact states will “pay a financial award to someone who developed a cure for a disease by utilizing the money the state saves by utilizing the cure.” MAG is monitoring this legislation, which has been assigned to the House Health and Human Services Committee.
