Department of Medical Assistance Services; consultation with federally recognized tribes. Establishes a Tribal Medicaid Advisory Group to work collaboratively on (i) plan amendments, waiver requests, and policies affecting tribal health programs at least 60 days prior to submitting them for public notice and comment and (ii) a tribal health program billing manual. The advisory group is required to meet in person on at least a quarterly basis. The bill also requires the Department of Medical Assistance Services to (a) recognize the eligibility of any tribal health program to participate as a provider in the state plan, (b) consult with any tribal health program participating in the state plan at least 60 days prior to taking any adverse action, including suspension of payments or investigation regarding the participation of any tribal health program in the state plan, and (c) engage in ongoing consultation with federally recognized tribes and tribal health programs to address the needs of the state and tribal governments. This bill is a recommendation of the Commission on Updating Virginia Law to Reflect Federal Recognition of Virginia Tribes.
Medical assistance services; volunteer emergency medical services agencies; supplemental payment for ground emergency medical services vehicle transportation. Directs the State Board of Health to include a provision in the state plan for medical assistance services to implement a supplemental payment program for qualified volunteer emergency medical services agencies to cover the difference between the agency's costs for ground emergency medical services vehicle transport services and the reimbursement amount received from the Department of Medical Assistance Services.
Nursing facilities; related party rent disclosures; incentive payment reduction; penalty. Requires any nursing facility enrolled as a Medicaid provider that makes rent or lease payments to publicly disclose information related to the rent or lease payments, including whether payments are made to a related party, the nature of the related party, and the related party rent expense, as defined in the bill. The bill requires the Department of Medical Assistance Services to determine whether related party rent expenses exceed a fair rental value benchmark and if so, deduct a portion of any incentive payment owed to the nursing facility. A knowingly false attestation or disclosure is punishable as a Class 3 misdemeanor.
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.
State employee health insurance plan; coverage for prosthetic devices. Provides that the plan established by the Department of Human Resource Management for the provision of health insurance coverage for state employees shall include coverage for medically necessary prosthetic devices and their repair, fitting, replacement, and components.
Special fund for emergency medical services; distribution of certain funds to localities. Expands the use of funds by localities from the special emergency medical services fund. The bill allows funds to be used for (i) training of emergency medical services personnel; (ii) the purchase of equipment and supplies; (iii) maintenance of equipment, facilities, and certain vehicles; and (iv) operating expenses deemed necessary by the locality to ensure the provision of emergency medical expenses in such locality. Under current law, funds may only be used for training of personnel and purchase of equipment and supplies.
School boards; courses of instruction; high school courses or dual enrollment programs for certification as a certified nurse aide, emergency medical technician, or firefighter; establishment permitted; requirements. Permits any school board to provide to high school students, either on school premises or through a dual enrollment program or other partnership with a comprehensive community college, courses of instruction that prepare students for and lead to (i) certification as a certified nurse aide, provided that such course is approved by and meets the requirements of the Board of Nursing and is taught by a qualified individual, consistent with the requirements of the Board of Nursing; (ii) certification as an emergency medical technician, provided that such course is consistent with the requirements established by the Office of Emergency Medical Services and taught by an emergency medical technician instructor who meets the requirements set forth in the bill; or (iii) firefighting level 1 certification, as defined by the bill, provided that such course is consistent with the National Fire Protection Association 1001, level one, firefighter standards as administered by the Department of Fire Programs and taught by an individual qualified to provided such instruction. The bill also requires any school board that provides any such course of instruction on school premises to high school students to ensure that any individual employed, contracted, or permitted to volunteer to provide instruction in such course meets the requirements set forth in applicable law relating to data on convictions for certain crimes and child abuse and neglect, fingerprinting, and criminal history records checks.
Emergency Response Exposure Grant Fund and Program. Creates the Emergency Response Exposure Grant Fund and Program, to be administered by the Department of Fire Programs, to award grants to localities to support certain emergency responders who were exposed to a qualifying emergency, defined in the bill. The bill requires funding to be used for annual cancer screenings and health care expenses incurred by eligible emergency responders, defined in the bill, in the event such emergency responders are diagnosed with cancer from toxic material exposure. The bill permits funding to be used for out-of-pocket medical expenses not otherwise covered by insurance, workers' compensation, or other available funding.
Certificate of public need; exception; maternal and perinatal health services. Creates an exception to certificate of public need requirements for any project or action related to maternal and perinatal health services. The bill also removes neonatal intensive care from the definition of tertiary care for purposes of determining health planning regions.
