LEGISLATIVE EDITION

2022 Legislative Healthcare Review

JULY 5, 2022

HARI is pleased to share the 2022 Legislative Healthcare Review. The Review highlights legislative victories that promote improved health outcomes, strengthen the health care workforce and ensure hospitals and health systems are there to care

PROMOTING IMPROVED HEALTH OUTCOMES

Behavioral Health

• GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: H.7296 / S.3033 by Representative McNamara and Senator Miller: would increase the membership of the governor's council on behavioral health from 31 to 32 members by adding the president of the Hospital Association of Rhode Island or a designee

• INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE: H.7801/ S.2614 by Representative Cassar and Senator DiMario would establish a plan to improve the promotion of social and emotional well-being of young children as well as screening, assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental health challenges of infants and young children under the age of six 6

Cancer Prevention

• BIOMARKER TESTING COVERAGE: H.7587A / S.2201A by Representative Ackerman and Senator Goodwin: would require health insurers, nonprofit hospital service corporations, nonprofit medical service corporations and health maintenance organizations that issue policies that provide coverage for biomarker testing on or after 1/1/23

• GENETIC COUNSELORS LICENSING ACT: H.6643A / S.2205A by Representative McEntee and Senator Sosnowski: would provide a statutory framework for the licensing and regulation of genetic counselor

Maternal Health

• INDIVIDUAL HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE: H.7454A / S.2548A by Representative Cassar and Senator Valverde: would establish a special enrollment provision for pregnant women to obtain health insurance coverage at any time after the commencement of the pregnancy

Pharmacy

• PHARMACEUTICAL REDISTRIBUTION PROGRAM ACT: H.7133B / S.2207A by Representative McNamara and Senator Miller: would authorize the creation and implementation of a Pharmaceutical Redistribution program by the department of health (DOH) and the board of pharmacy to commence operations on January 1, 2023

Quality and Safety

• SEXUAL ASSAULT EVIDENCE KITS: H.7079A / S.3039 by Representative Edwards and Senator Mack: would require any entity that receives, maintains, stores or preserves sexual assault evidence kits to submit a report to the department of health, annually, setting forth the total number of untested kits in possession of such entity

• BHDDH EMPLOYEE CRIMINAL RECORDS CHECK: H.7826A / S.2221A by Representative Edwards and Senator Miller: would require criminal records check for all applicants for employment with BHDDH/any facility/program operated by BHDDH with routine, unsupervised with individuals/organizations employing 250 or more employees with checks every 5yrs. of continuous employment

STRENGTHENING THE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE

• INTERSTATE MEDICAL LICENSURE COMPACT: H.8047A / S.2606A by Representative Fogarty and Senator Valverde: would create the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact allowing physicians to become licensed in multiple states and practice under the jurisdiction of the state in which the patient is located

• LICENSE PROCEDURE FOR SOCIAL WORKERS: H.7396A / S.2617A by Representative Shallcross Smith and Senator DiMario: would mandate that an applicant for a license as a licensed clinical social worker not be required to take or pass a standardized written examination in order to qualify for the license

• LICENSE PROCEDURE FOR SOCIAL WORKERS: H.7269A / S.2764B by Representative Caldwell and Senator Valverde: would allow individuals who have received their masters of social work from an accredited college or university within the past 2 years to practice within the field prior to obtaining a license

• MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS AND MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS: H.7872Aaa / S.2616Aaa by Representative Fogarty and Senator DiMario: would create entry-level licensing program to allow applicants as a mental health counselor assoc. or a marriage/family therapist assoc. to practice under supervision prior to becoming a licensed mental health counselor or a licensed marriage/family therapist

• PSYCHOLOGY INTERJURISDICTIONAL COMPACT: H.7501 / S.2605 by Representative McNamara and Senator DiMario: would authorize the governor to enter into Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact and designates office to administer compact. Creates interstate agreement that allows limited telepsychological practice to be conducted across state lines among member states

• HOUSE RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR UNIFORM MULTI-STATE NURSING LICENSE REQUIREMENTS: H.7268A by Representative Kennedy: would amend the interstate nurse licensure compact and adopts an enhanced and more comprehensive version of the compact, to allow nurses to hold a multi-state license allowing them to practice across state lines without having to obtain multiple licenses

ENSURING HOSPITALS & HEALTH SYSTEMS ARE THERE TO CARE

Budget

• On Monday, June 27, 2022, the governor signed into law H.7123 SubAaa, an act making appropriations for the support of the state for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. The recommended FY 2023 state budget includes investments in Medicaid reimbursement, behavioral health and health care workforce development.

For more information on the FY 2023 recommended budget impact on hospitals and health systems, click here.

Hospital Conversion

• HOSPITAL CONVERSIONS ACT: H.8343 / S.2349 by Representative Shekarchi and Senator McCaffrey: would require the transacting parties/new hospital seeking conversion to supply additional information in application for review by the DOH/DAG relating to staffing levels/pension plans/community impact

Insurance

• ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES: H.7344A / S.2086A by Representative Potter and Senator DiMario: would require insurance providers to seek recoupment or set off of insurance payments made to health care providers within 12 months and requires health care providers to seek reimbursement for underpayment within 12 months