Healthcare

Amend KRS 205.529, 218A.172, 218A.205, and 304.17A.165 to remove references to a Schedule III controlled substance containing hydrocodone; amend KRS 218A.010 to add optometrist and physician assistant to the definition of "practitioner" licensed in other states; amend KRS 218A.182 to exempt charitable health care practitioners from electronic prescription requirement; amend KRS 218A.202 to require an active account with the electronic monitoring system be maintained by practitioners or pharmacists prescribing or dispensing Schedule II, III, IV, or V controlled substances; amend KRS 218A.245 to permit the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to enter reciprocal agreements or contracts with any federal agency of the United States or its territories.

Amend KRS 314.011 to define "dispense" or "dispensing" if prescribed, as receiving and distributing nonscheduled legend drugs; include receiving and distributing nonscheduled legend drug samples from pharmaceutical manufacturers; define "dispense" or "dispensing" for an advanced practice registered nurse as the same as in KRS 315.010.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 205 to define terms; direct the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to prepare and submit a waiver amendment application to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to amend the 1915(c) HCB waiver program to include coverage for assisted living services; establish coverage limits; require the cabinet to promulgate administrative regulations; require the cabinet or the Department for Medicaid Services to seek federal approval if it is determined that such approval is necessary; provide authorization from the General Assembly to make changes in the Medicaid program as required under KRS 205.5372(1).

Repeal, reenact, and amend KRS 216B.250 as a new section of KRS Chapter 367 to define terms; require health facilities and other health care providers to provide itemized health care statements in certain circumstances; specify the contents of the health care statements; require that health care statements contain information about price classifications and claims made with third-party payors; prohibit health facilities and providers from charging for the health care statements; establish means by which patients may request a health care statement to be furnished; require health facilities and providers to make public postings and have appropriate staff available to respond to questions and resolve disputes; make conforming amendments; prohibit health facilities and other providers from requesting or accepting a total payment for health care services that exceeds an agreed-upon price or the amount the facility or provider is entitled to receive under state or federal law; authorize the Attorney General to enforce certain state and federal laws regulating health care prices; allow a violation to be cured for good-faith errors; establish causes of action and penalties for violation of health care billing requirements; authorize the Attorney General to enforce health care billing requirements; specify that remedies and penalties are cumulative; authorize the Attorney General to promulgate administrative regulations to effectuate or aid in the effectuation of health care billing requirements; amend KRS 304.14-410, 304.32-1551, 214.556, 216B.990, and 216B.300 to conform; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2027.

Amend KRS 304.17A-132 to modify the definition of "hearing aid"; increase the coverage amount for hearing aids from $1,400 to $2,500; establish network adequacy requirements relating to the provision of hearing aids and related services that are required to be covered; amend KRS 18A.225 to increase the cap on hearing aids and hearing aid-related services under the state employee health plan from $1,400 to $2,500; direct that the Act applies to health benefit plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2027.

Amend KRS 304.17A-164 to define and redefine terms; establish cost-sharing requirements for prescription drugs; require rebates to be passed through; establish confidentiality requirements for the rebate information; create a new section of KRS 365.880 to 365.900 to provide that the actual amount of rebates received is a trade secret; provide that compliance with prescription drug cost-sharing and rebate requirements shall not be in violation of the Uniform Trade Secrets Act; amend KRS 304.17C-125, 304.38A-115, 18A.225, and 164.2871 to apply the cost-sharing and rebate requirements for prescription drugs to limited health service benefit plans, limited health service organizations, the state employee health plan, and self-insured employer group health plans provided by the governing board of a state postsecondary education institution; apply provisions to health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2027.

Propose to create a new section of the Constitution of Kentucky to enshrine Medicaid expansion coverage; direct the Secretary of State to advertise the proposed constitutional amendment prior to a general election vote; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

Create a new section of Subtitle 1 of KRS Chapter 304 to limit the application of cost-sharing requirements that would result in a health insurance policy, certificate, plan, or contract losing its health savings account-qualified status under federal law; create a new section of KRS Chapter 18A to subject cost-sharing requirements in that chapter to applicability limitation; provide that applicability limitation applies to policies, certificates, plans, and contracts issued or renewed on or after the effective date of the Act; provide purpose of Section 1 of the Act; state the that Section 1 of the Act may be cited as the Health Savings Account State-Federal Regulatory Coordination Model Act.

Amend KRS 304.17A-660 to specify classifications to be included in the term "classification of benefits"; specify requirements, standards, and methodologies to be included in the term "nonquantitative treatment limitation"; change the definition of "mental health condition" to the definition of "mental health or substance use disorder condition"; amend KRS 304.17A-661 to require an insurer's mental health parity analysis to include an evaluation of standards relating to network composition, out-of-network utilization rates, and medical management techniques; require insurers to submit a remediation plan for the commissioner's approval if its mental health parity analysis indicates noncompliance; require insurer's annual mental health parity report to be submitted to the Legislative Research Commission; delete language applying remedies under Subtitle 12 of KRS Chapter 304 to violations; authorize the Attorney General to enforce the mental health parity law; establish duties, remedies, and penalties for enforcement by the Attorney General; authorize a private cause of action by any person directly injured by a violation or likely violation of the mental health parity law; establish duties, remedies, and penalties for a private right of action under the mental health parity law; establish construction clauses; authorize the Attorney General to promulgate administrative regulations for proper enforcement of mental health parity law; create new sections of KRS 304.17A-660 to 304.17A-669 to define "health care professional"; require insurers to comply with KRS 304.17A-700 to 304.17A-730 for claims submitted by health care professionals for the diagnosis or treatment of mental health or substance use disorder conditions; authorize the Attorney General to enforce the requirement to comply with KRS 304.17A-700 to 304.17A-730; create the Advisory Council on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity; establish duties and membership; amend KRS 304.17A-665 to require the commissioner of insurance to publish a summary of each insurer's mental health parity report and report findings to specified legislative committees; amend KRS 304.17A-669 to conform; amend KRS 18A.225 to require the state employee health plan to comply with KRS 304.17A-660 to 304.17A-669; provide terms for initial appointment of members of the Advisory Council on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity; provide that certain sections apply to contracts issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027; EFFECTIVE, January 1, 2027.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 367 to define terms; prohibit a health care professional from furnishing medical debt to a consumer reporting agency; require a contract between a health care professional and collection entity to include a provision prohibiting the reporting of medical debt to a consumer reporting agency; provide that medical debt that is reported in violation of the section is void and unenforceable; make a violation of the section an unfair, false, misleading, or deceptive act or practice in violation of KRS 367.170; establish remedies for a violation of the section; provide that section shall not be construed to limit or restrict any powers, duties, remedies, or penalties available; direct that provisions apply to contracts entered into or renewed on or after the effective date of the Act.