Healthcare

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 745: Health insurance; definitions, prohibited restrictions on in-network referrals.

Health insurance; prohibited restrictions on in-network referrals. Prohibits a health insurance carrier from prohibiting an in-network provider, as defined in the bill, from referring any enrollee or specimen to any in-network clinical laboratory or in-network pathology service provider under the terms of such insurance unless such referral would constitute a violation of certain laws. This bill is identical to HB 424.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits insurers from restricting in-network referrals, improving patient access to clinical labs/pathology services without barriers.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 641: Office-based buprenorphine treatment; Board of Medicine to amend regulations.

Board of Medicine; office-based buprenorphine treatment; counseling. Directs the Board of Medicine to amend its regulations regarding office-based buprenorphine treatment to require providers to offer counseling or referral to counseling to each patient as clinically necessary and mutually agreed-upon. The bill specifies that a patient's refusal of counseling does not preclude the patient from receiving office-based buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care and is identical to HB 712.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires counseling referrals for buprenorphine treatment, expanding access to comprehensive opioid use disorder care without restricting treatment eligibility.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 122: School boards; student diabetes care & management in schools, division wide plan required.

Public elementary and secondary schools; student diabetes medical care and management. Establishes several provisions relating to student diabetes medical care and management in public elementary and secondary schools in the Commonwealth, including requiring divisionwide plans for the care of students who are diagnosed with diabetes in each school division, effective beginning with the 2028–2029 school year. This bill is identical to HB 1301.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill ensures students with diabetes can manage health needs in schools, enabling full educational participation and access without barriers.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates school staff training for diabetes management and permits student self-care, directly improving access to medical services for students with diabetes in schools.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 421: Pharmacist; remote verification and counseling in opioid treatment programs.

Remote pharmacist verification and counseling in opioid treatment programs. Authorizes a pharmacist licensed in the Commonwealth to exercise verification, counseling, and supervision duties remotely when a pharmacy technician or other authorized personnel dispenses medication prescribed for the management of opioid use disorder at a federally certified opioid treatment program.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAuthorizes remote pharmacist counseling in opioid treatment programs, improving patient access to addiction healthcare services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 379: Psilocybin; Board of Pharmacy to reschedule upon federal scheduling changes.

Board of Pharmacy; regulation of psilocybin. Directs the Board of Pharmacy to reschedule psilocybin consistent with federal scheduling upon approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of a formulation of psilocybin designed to be administered by a health care professional in a health care setting. This bill is identical to HB 1347.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables FDA-approved psilocybin use in healthcare settings for mental health treatment, advancing access to novel therapeutic options under medical supervision.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 140: Fire Programs, Department of; development of mental health awareness training.

Department of Fire Programs; mental health awareness training. Provides that the Department of Fire Programs shall develop a standardized, two-hour virtual asynchronous training program on mental health awareness tailored to firefighters that includes training on each subject matter set forth in current law. The bill provides the option for each fire department to use such standardized training program as guidance in developing its own mental health awareness training for its personnel. This bill is identical to HB 325.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates mental health awareness training for fire personnel, strengthening mental health support services per bill's requirement for department-developed curricula.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 172: Health insurance claims; electronic information or attachments accepted, delayed effective date.

Health insurance; carrier business practices; electronic attachments. Provides that, in the following contexts, information may be submitted by a provider to a health insurance carrier through electronic attachment, as defined in the bill: (i) information related to services rendered as required by the carrier in its provider contract; (ii) information related to any defect or impropriety that prevents the carrier from deeming a health insurance claim a clean claim, as defined in existing law; and (iii) information required to establish medical necessity, benefit coverage, or prior authorization of services, or to conduct reconsideration activities. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 676.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates electronic claim processing for insurers, improving efficiency and access to healthcare services by reducing administrative barriers.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 626: Health insurance; reporting requirements.

Health insurance; reporting requirements. Amends various reporting requirements related to health insurance, including by requiring the State Corporation Commission to maintain and publicly post an inventory of mandated benefits and providers, requiring health carriers to report annually on provider terminations and reinstatements, and consolidating reports related to balance billing and arbitration. The bill repeals reporting requirements related to the Comparable Health Care Service Incentive Program and Virginia Health Savings Account Plan.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires transparency in mandated benefits and provider terminations, improving accountability and access to health insurance services.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 735: Temporary detention; certified evaluators, sunset extended.

Temporary detention; certified evaluators; sunset extended. Extends from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2027, the sunset date on the current provisions of law authorizing hospitals with a psychiatric emergency department located in the City of Hampton to employ certain trained individuals to perform evaluations to determine whether a person meets the criteria for temporary detention for behavioral health treatment. The current law also requires participating hospitals with psychiatric emergency departments in the City of Hampton to submit monthly and annual reports on temporary detentions and crisis evaluations. This bill is identical to HB 1292.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRepeals sunset on hospital use of certified evaluators for behavioral health temporary detention, extending mental health evaluation services in Hampton.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 2, 2026

SB 33: Programs for at-risk students; permissible uses of funding.

Programs for at-risk students; permissible uses of funding. Includes as covered programs that are eligible for funding under the At-Risk Program initiatives to support both the physical and mental health of students in public schools, including the hiring of licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and advanced practice registered nurses. This bill is a recommendation of the School Health Services Committee and is identical to HB 195.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates existing funding for student health programs including nurse hiring, directly supporting essential public services within budget appropriations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds health programs for at-risk students including nurse hiring, directly supporting student well-being and educational access in schools.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds mental/physical health programs in schools including hiring nurses, directly advancing healthcare access for students.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare