Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Day Forty Eight of KY's 2014 Session In Review

SB 148, sponsored by Senator Buford, is a bill that requires comparable copayment, coinsurance, or deductibles for patient-administered anticancer medications as there are for anticancer medications injected or intravenously administered by health care providers. The bill passed out of the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee yesterday to the Consent Calendar. SB185, a bill that would require face-to-face provider contract negotiations, sponsored by Senator Gibson was removed from the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee agenda at the last minute.
Senator Leeper filed an amendment to SB 166, the state fair hearing bill yesterday, that would require the agency head to issue a final order within 25 days or the hearing officer's opinion will become final and requires an MCO to pay for all disputed services and interest within 30 days upon exhaustion of all appeals.
Senator Denton has filed an amendment to SB 201, her suboxone bill, that would require the MCOs to establish the same access criteria for suboxone instead of equally reimbursing alternative administration methods. This amendment could clear the way for this bill to move this week.
Rep. Marzian has filed an amendment to Chairman Tilley's HB527, the CMHC legislation, that would retain most of the provisions of the house committee substitute, except the mandatory the list of services that community mental health centers provide. Rep. Marzian's amendment would exclude primary care services which remain permissive and delete the requirement that the provider must be a Medicaid-participating provider.
The House Banking & Insurance Committee Meeting is cancelled for today, taking HB395, a bill that creates medication synchornization  process at the pharmacy, off the table, possibly for the rest of the session. And the Senate Health & Welfare Committee will hear testimony on the concerns of the Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC).

LEGISLATIVE TRACKERS BY INTEREST

Click on the links below

    LINKS TO SOME OF TODAY's HEADLINES:

     UPCOMING MEETINGS:

    Wednesday, March 19, 2014
    8:30am, Annex Room 129
    HOUSE STANDING COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND SMALL BUSINESS
    Agenda: Consideration of SB 170HR 175HB 491 and HR 210

    9:00am, Annex Room 169
    HOUSE STANDING COMMITTEE ON LICENSING AND OCCUPATIONS
    Agenda: Consideration of HB 283HB 420SB 19SB 26 and SB 128

    9:00am, Annex Room 154
    SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
    Agenda: Consideration of SB 167SB 228HB 133HB 169 and HB 281

    10:00am, Annex Room 131
    SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND WELFARE
    Agenda: Discussion of Referred Legislation: HB 310 and HCR 133, Discussion of Concerns Regarding Community Mental Health Centers

    11:00am, Annex Room 154
    SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY
    Agenda: Consideration of SB 40, SR 249, HB 291 and HB 328

    Noon, Annex Room 171
    HOUSE STANDING COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
    Agenda: Consideration of HB 397SB 45SB 47SB 66SB 86SB 124, and SB 157

    Noon, Annex Room 131
    HOUSE STANDING COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
    Agenda: The following bills are posted and may be called for consideration: HB 544HB 551HB 561 and SB 144

    Noon, Annex Room 169
    HOUSE STANDING COMMITTEE ON VETERANS, MILITARY AFFAIRS, AND PUBLIC SAFETY
    Agenda: Consideration of SB 100SB 158 and HB 531

    Noon, Annex Room 154
    SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
    Agenda: Consideration of SB 216HB 81HB 84HB 138HB 208HB 276HB 367 and HB 364

    2:00pm, House Chambers
    House Convenes (Orders of the Day) 
    2:00pm, Senate Chambers
    Senate Convenes (Orders of the Day)

    SOME OF THE LATEST POLITICAL STORIES:

    The Kentucky House on Tuesday approved a $4.51 billion, two-year road plan that relies on a gas tax increase and postpones completion of Gov. Steve Beshear's proposal to widen and…Click to Continue » [...]
    Tue, Mar 18, 2014 10:32:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
    HERALD-LEADER FRANKFORT BUREAU FRANKFORT – The Senate approved Tuesday a bill sponsored by Sen. Robin Webb that would require any funds recovered by the attorney general’s office in a legal case to be deposited into the General Fund, which pays for most state programs. Some lawmakers have claimed that $32 million Attorney General Jack Conway has collected from lawsuit settlements with two drug companies should have gone into the General Fund. Conway decided to use the money to expand substance abuse treatment in Kentucky. He said court orders filed in both settlements required that the money be spent on drug treatment [...]
    Tue, Mar 18, 2014 10:13:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
    A committee has recommended giving $2.3 million in city money to 29 nonprofit agencies for homeless, domestic violence, job training and other services.Click to Continue » [...]
    Tue, Mar 18, 2014 9:40:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
    The Kentucky Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would make clear U.S. Sen. Rand Paul may run for two federal offices at once.Click to Continue » [...]
    Tue, Mar 18, 2014 8:52:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
    By Sam Youngman syoungman@herald-leader.com An issues group supportive of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is launching a three-week, $1.8 million advertising campaign in Kentucky, by far the largest ad buy to date of the 2014 U.S. Senate race. Unlike other Super PACs operating in Kentucky, the Kentucky Opportunity Coalition is a 501(c)4 non-profit organization, so its political activity is restricted to issue-focused ads that don't directly ask voters to support one candidate over another. The group is beginning its run of ads, which will appear statewide on cable, broadcast television and radio, by focusing on McConnell's record on veterans' issues. "This week, you'll see the [...]
    Tue, Mar 18, 2014 1:44:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
    By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT – With no discussion, the Senate approved a bill Monday that would allow the Senate president or House speaker to intervene in a court case when the attorney general fails to defend a state law or part of the Kentucky Constitution. The vote on Senate Bill 221, sponsored by Sen. Sara Beth Gregory, R-Monticello, was 31-6, with one Democrat passing. Six other Democrats cast the “no” votes. Gregory said the bill was filed in part due to Attorney General Jack Conway’s recent decision not to appeal a federal judge's ruling that Kentucky must recognize same-sex marriages performed in other [...]
    Tue, Mar 18, 2014 12:16:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
    It appears the legislation that could change the school calendar in Kentucky due to snow days could make it to the Governor Steve Beshear's desk soon. [...]
    Wed, Mar 19, 2014 12:04:56 PM, Continue reading at the source


    No comments:

    Post a Comment