House Passes Two Bills
The House passed two bills by Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick, M.D. (R-Marietta) that MAG supports. S.B. 340 would update provisions related to funding of medical education provided by hospital authorities and designated teaching hospitals. S.B. 341 would provide guidelines for the prior authorization of a prescribed medication for chronic conditions requiring ongoing medication therapy under certain circumstances.
Senate Passes Two Bills
The Senate passed two bills that MAG is following. H.B. 1086 by Rep. Katie Dempsey (R-Rome) would lower the age to 50 years old for hospitals to offer inpatient vaccinations for the influenza virus prior to discharge. H.B. 911 by Rep. David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) is the budget for FY 2023. The budget will still need to gain agreement from the House before it heads to the Governor’s desk.
Committee Activity
The House Health & Human Services Committee passed several bills. S.B. 342 by Sen. Kirkpatrick, M.D. would require reporting regarding compliance with the federal Mental Health Parity law. MAG supports this bill. S.B. 338 by Sen. Dean Burke, M.D. (R-Bainbridge) would extend postpartum Medicaid coverage from six months to twelve months. MAG supports this measure. S.B. 496 also by Sen. Burke, M.D. would require a medical examiner’s inquiry after the death or a pregnant woman or a woman who was pregnant within 365 days prior to such female's death and would also define the term “unattended by a physician” for the purposes of medical examiner’s inquiry as a patient who has not been seen by a physician within 180 days prior to death. MAG supports this legislation. S.B. 345 by Sen. Jeff Mullis, M.D. (R-Chickamauga) would prohibit state and local governments and their agencies from mandating COVID-19 vaccine passports for any services or access to any facility. This law would cease to be in effect on June 30, 2023 and does not apply if compliance required an agency to violate CMS regulations. MAG opposes this legislation. S.B. 573 by Sen. Matt Brass (R-Newnan) would require hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to adopt a policy for the reduction of human exposure to surgical smoke. MAG is neutral on this bill.
The House Insurance Committee passed two bills that MAG supports. S.B. 487 by Sen. Sheila McNeill (R-Brunswick) would require that diagnostic breast examinations not be treated less favorably than screening mammography for breast cancer with respect to cost-sharing requirements. S.B. 566 by Sen. Burke, M.D. would clarify that, under the Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act, a medical or traumatic condition, sickness, or injury includes a mental health condition or substance use disorder and that emergency medical services include post-stabilization services.
The Senate Health & Human Services Committee passed several bills that MAG is following. H.B. 937 by Rep. Sharon Henderson (D-Covington) would require insurers to notify insured women when they turn 40 of their coverage for mammograms. MAG supports this legislation. H.B. 1219 by Rep. Penny Houston (R-Nashville) would revise the composition of the State Board of Dentistry. MAG is neutral on this legislation. H.B. 1355 by Rep. Katie Dempsey (R-Rome) would update the state’s lead guidelines to bring them in line with nationally recognized guidelines. MAG supports this measure. H.B. 1069 by Rep. Bruce Williamson (R-Monroe) would license adult residential mental health programs. MAG supports this legislation. The language in H.B. 1425 by Rep. Bill Werkheiser (R-Glennville) was replaced by language that would require the current pending licenses to be issued by May 31, 2022 and increase transparency of the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission. MAG is neutral on this legislation.
The Senate Regulated Industries Committee passed H.B. 972 by Rep. Dave Belton (R-Buckhead), which would make changes to the “Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists Licensing Law.” MAG is neutral on this legislation.
The Senate Finance Committee passed H.B. 1041 by Rep. Pirkle (R-Ashburn), which would increase the limit for the rural hospital tax credit. MAG supports this legislation.
The Senate Judiciary Committee passed two bills that MAG supports. H.B. 752 by Rep. Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta) would implement the Psychiatric Advance Directive to allow patients with mental illness to make their preferences in relation to mental health care known and designate a health care agent for mental health care decisions. H.B. 1348 by Rep. Bonnie Rich (R-Suwanee) would prohibit vaping in designated smoke-free areas.
The Subcommittee of the Senate Health & Human Services Committee continued to hold hearings on H.B. 1013, the omnibus mental health care legislation. A full committee vote is expected next week.
