Healthcare

Newborn screening requirements; Gaucher disease. Directs the Department of Health to amend regulations to include Gaucher disease under the Commonwealth's newborn screening panel.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; Medicaid waivers; consumer-directed services; employer of record. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) to modify the program rules for consumer-directed services available through certain Medicaid waivers to allow an individual receiving services to serve as the employer of record (EOR) for his own service delivery and designate another individual to perform all or a portion of the duties of the EOR on the individual's behalf when the individual receiving services is unable to perform such duties or direct his own care. The bill specifies that when an individual (i) has not yet reached the age of majority, (ii) is ineligible to use his existing employer identification number (EIN) to facilitate the taxation of benefits, or (iii) is otherwise determined to be ineligible by DMAS by administrative rule, the EIN shall be assigned to the individual receiving services and shall not be transferred to another individual. Under the bill, DMAS has the authority to limit such amendments to specify that an individual receiving services may make such designation no more than twice per calendar year.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; Medicaid estate recoveries. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services (the Department) to limit the operation of its estate recovery program to the recovery of only federally required costs. The bill directs the Department to make information on estate recovery available on its website in multiple languages. The bill directs the Department to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; enhanced oversight of services facilitators. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to enhance oversight of Medicaid services facilitation for consumer directed services, including incorporation of such services into the statewide Fiscal Employer Agent contract and development of a contract monitoring and oversight plan.

Firefighters Cancer Screening Grant Program and Fund established. Creates the Firefighters Cancer Screening Grant Program and Fund to award grants to localities for costs incurred in providing certain cancer detection tests to firefighters. The bill provides that in any year that the amount of funds in the Firefighters Cancer Screening Fund reduces to zero and the Fund does not receive a separate appropriation, the Grant Program and Fund shall expire.

Administrative Process Act; exemptions; limitations; appeals of case decisions regarding benefits sought. Specifies that the Administrative Process Act applies to case decisions regarding the grant or denial, including determinations of eligibility and approved levels of service, of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, general relief, auxiliary grants, or state-local hospitalization. The bill also removes provisions limiting review of case decisions to ascertaining whether there was evidence in the agency record to support the case decision of the agency.

Health insurance; treatment of cancer and certain diseases; coverage of certain medications. Requires an insurer, corporation providing preferred provider subscription contracts, or health maintenance organization that provides coverage for drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration and prescribed for the treatment of cancer or diseases of the blood to allow, at the patient's direction, (i) provider-administered drugs for such treatment to be dispensed by an in-network treating provider consistent with a provider agreement; (ii) provider-administered drugs for such treatment to be dispensed by an in-network treating provider when there is a documented delay of at least three days in the delivery of a medication from the designated specialty pharmacy; and (iii) self-administered drugs for such treatment to be sent to the pharmacy of the patient's choosing.

Fees for vehicles designed and used for transportation of passengers; funds returned to a locality; permitted uses. Expands the permitted use of funds returned to a locality from certain vehicle fees to include the purchase or maintenance of necessary equipment, supplies, facilities, and vehicles permitted by the Office of Emergency Medical Services and other operating expenses deemed necessary by the locality to ensure the provision of emergency medical services in such locality by nonprofit emergency medical services agencies. Under current law, such funds may be used for the purchase of necessary equipment and supplies for use in the locality for emergency medical services provided by nonprofit emergency medical services agencies.

Health insurance; large group policies; coverage for scalp treatment during cancer chemotherapy treatment. Requires health insurance carriers offering policies in the large group market to provide coverage for scalp cooling systems for the preservation of hair during cancer chemotherapy treatment. Provisions of the bill apply to health insurance policies, contracts, and plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in the large group market in the Commonwealth on and after January 1, 2027.

Health insurance; State Plan for Medical Assistance; coverage for prosthetic and custom orthotic devices and components; reports. Amends provisions related to health insurance coverage for prosthetic devices and components to include custom orthotic devices and components. Under the bill, such coverage does not include repair and replacement due to theft or loss and may include more than one prosthetic or custom orthotic device when medically necessary, as determined by an enrollee's provider. The bill prohibits an insurer from denying coverage for a prosthetic or custom orthotic device for an individual with limb loss, limb absence, or limb impairment that would otherwise be covered for a nondisabled individual seeking medical or surgical intervention. The bill requires health plans that provide such coverage to include language describing an enrollee's rights related to coverage for prosthetic and custom orthotic devices and provide a written explanation of any claim denials. The bill also directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to seek the necessary permissions from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide payment of medical assistance for prosthetic and custom orthotic devices, subject to the same requirements as insurers. Such payment is conditional on the Department obtaining all necessary approvals and federal financial participation. The bill sunsets on July 1, 2027, if such approval and federal financial participation is not obtained. The bill directs the health insurance carriers, the Department of Medical Assistance Services, and any managed care plan administering Medicaid benefits in the Commonwealth to submit reports to the Health Insurance Reform Commission regarding implementation of the provisions of the bill during plan years 2027 and 2028.