Healthcare

Establish the Infant Mortality Task Force; list duties and members of the task force; require the task force to meet monthly during the 2026 Interim of the General Assembly and to submit a report by December 1, 2026.

Direct the Legislative Research Commission to procure a vendor to conduct a feasibility study for an Accountable Communities for Health Medicaid delivery model pilot project; require the results of the study to be submitted to the Legislative Research Commission by November 1, 2026; strongly encourage the Legislative Research Commission to begin the procurement process immediately upon the adoption of this Resolution; establish that a pilot project resulting from the feasibility study shall be known as the 20 by 30 Accountable Care Pilot Project.

Create a new section of Subtitle 17A of KRS Chapter 304 to define terms; require health plans to provide coverage for scalp cooling systems used in connection with chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer; suspend the coverage requirement's application to qualified health plans if the state would be required to make cost defrayal payments; amend KRS 304.17A-099 to conform; amend KRS 304.17C-125, 164.2871, and 18A.225 to require limited health service benefit plans, self-insured employer plans provided by the governing board of a state postsecondary education institution, and the state employee health plan to comply with the coverage requirement for scalp cooling systems; provide that certain provisions apply to health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027; EFFECTIVE, in part, January 1, 2027.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 205 to allow perinatal mood and anxiety disorders screenings of an accompanying parent or legal guardian to be claimed as a service for the child as part of the early and periodic diagnostic, screening, and treatment benefit; amend KRS 205.6497 to require the Kentucky Children's Health Insurance Program to cover perinatal mood and anxiety disorders screenings; create a new section of Subtitle 17A of KRS Chapter 304 to require a health plan to cover perinatal mood and anxiety disorders screenings as part of a well-child or well-baby visit; suspend the coverage requirement for qualified health plans if the requirement results, or would result, in the state being required to defray the cost under federal law; amend KRS 164.2871 and 18A.225 to require self-insured employer group health plans offered by a state postsecondary education institution and the state employee health plan to comply with the perinatal mood and anxiety disorders screenings coverage requirement; provide that various sections apply to health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services or the Department for Medicaid Services to obtain 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); EFFECTIVE, in part, January 1, 2027.

Create new sections of KRS 304.17A-600 to 304.17A-633 to define terms; prohibit insurers of health benefit plans from requiring prior authorization for a health care service for which the provider has an exemption; require insurers of health benefit plans to establish a program under which participating providers may qualify for exemptions from prior authorization; establish mandatory and permitted provisions of an insurer's prior authorization exemption program; establish requirements for sending forms and notices; require the commissioner of the Department of Insurance to submit an annual report relating to prior authorization, provide a detailed briefing upon request, and promulgate administrative regulations; amend KRS 304.17A-605 to conform; amend KRS 304.17A-611 to prohibit conducting a retrospective review that is based solely on a participating provider having a prior authorization exemption; provide that certain utilization review time frames do not apply to retrospective reviews conducted for the purposes of determining eligibility for a prior authorization exemption; create a new section of KRS Chapter 205 to require the commissioner of the Department for Medicaid Services to submit an annual report relating to prior authorization, provide a detailed briefing upon request, and promulgate administrative regulations; amend KRS 205.536 to conform; apply the provisions to contracts delivered, entered, renewed, extended, or amended on or after January 1, 2028; EFFECTIVE, in part, January 1, 2027, and January 1, 2028.

Amend KRS 218A.025 to remove 1 physician and 1 nurse from the Controlled Substances Prescribing Council and to add 1 livestock veterinarian and 1 equine veterinarian.

Amend KRS 205.520 to establish that it is the policy of the Commonwealth to provide Medicaid eligibility for all residents of the Commonwealth who may be eligible under federal law; amend KRS 205.6312 to require the establishment of cost-sharing requirements in the Medicaid program to the extent required under federal law; require the Governor to commission an independent third-party analysis of the current Medicaid expansion; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services 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 the Medicaid program as required under KRS 205.5372(1).

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 218A to define terms; establish the ibogaine research and intellectual property fund to be administered by the Department of Agriculture for the purpose of allowing the department to enter a public-private partnership with a drug developer to conduct a clinical drug development trial or trials related to the use of ibogaine for the treatment of opioid use disorder, co-occurring substance use disorder, or any other neurological or mental health condition for which ibogaine demonstrates efficacy; establish requirements for the department related to how it contracts with a drug developer related to ibogaine research and intellectual property; appropriate $21 million from the opioid abatement trust fund to the ibogaine research and intellectual property development fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 and in fiscal year 2027-2028; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.

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.

Amend KRS 314.041, relating to registered nurse licensure, and KRS 314.051, relating to licensed practical nurse licensure, to add credential requirements; amend KRS 314.042 to require physicians collaborating with an advanced practice registered nurse to have an active and unrestricted license in Kentucky; amend KRS 314.109 to reduce the time from 90 to 30 days for a person under the jurisdiction of the board to notify the board of a conviction of certain misdemeanors or felonies; amend KRS 209.032, relating to employees of vulnerable adult service providers, to permit a state licensing board to query the cabinet for a validated substantiated finding of adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation against an individual under the licensing board's jurisdiction; create a new section of KRS 158.830 to 158.838 to define terms; permit health care practitioners to prescribe and dispense undesignated glucagon in the name of a school or to a trained individual; permit trained individuals to receive, possess, and administer undesignated glucagon during diabetic medical emergencies; permit schools to stock undesignated glucagon; provide for immunity from civil liability for any personal injury resulting from good-faith actions to use undesignated glucagon to treat diabetic medical emergencies; amend KRS 158.832 to add definition of "documented medical conditions" and medications to the definition of "medications"; amend KRS 158.834 to add medical conditions and medications that may be self-administered in schools with parental authorization and a prescription; amend KRS 158.836 to require students to permit bronchodilator rescue inhalers, nebulizers, glucagon, Solu-Cortef, or other prescribed medications in their possession or in the possession of school personnel; encourage schools to stock undesignated glucagon; and require policies and Good Samaritan protection for the good-faith administration of glucagon, Solu-Cortef, or other prescribed medications for authorized school employees; EMERGENCY.