2016 SESSION OF THE
MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
| | | |
| 2016 SESSION OF THE |
| Volume 22, Number 7 | March 2, 2016 |
Here are some of the hot issues as the 2016 Legislative Session develops:
This week’s new bills of interest to the Johns Hopkins community:
BILLS INTRODUCED
Behavioral Health HB1184 Workgroup to Study the Effect of Poverty on the Behavioral Health of Children Requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Maryland State Department of Education, the Department of Human Resources, and specified other parties to establish a workgroup to study the effect of poverty on the behavioral health of children; requiring the workgroup to review specified studies and methods and to make specified recommendations; and requiring the workgroup, on or before December 31, 2016, to submit a specified report to the Governor and specified committees of the General Assembly. Hearing Date: Tue 3/8 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2016 HB1212 Public Health - Overdose and Infectious Disease Prevention Safer Drug Use Facility Program Authorizing the establishment of an Overdose and Infectious Disease Prevention Safer Drug Use Facility Program by specified entities in specified jurisdictions; requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to make a specified determination on a specified application based on specified criteria and within a specified period of time; requiring a Program to provide specified services; authorizing a Program to provide specified services; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 3/8 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2016 HB1267 Poly-Morphone-Assisted Treatment Pilot Program - Harm Reduction Act of 2016 Establishing the Poly-Morphone-Assisted Treatment Pilot Program; defining "Poly-Morphone-Assisted Treatment" as administering or dispensing of pharmaceutical-grade heroin, hydromorphone, or other opiates by a health care practitioner to select opioid-dependent individuals; requiring the Program to begin on or before January 1, 2018, and to continue for a period of 4 years; establishing the Poly-Morphone-Assisted Treatment Pilot Program Advisory Board; providing for the purpose and membership of the Advisory Board; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 3/8 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2016 HB1411/SB1094 Health - Recovery Residences - Certification Requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to approve a credentialing entity to develop and administer a certification process for recovery residences; requiring the certification entity to establish specified requirements and processes, conduct a specified inspection, and issue a specified certificate of compliance; providing that a certificate of compliance is valid for 1 year from the date it is issued; etc. Hearing Date: Fri 3/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2016 HB1416/SB1060 Public Health - Opioid Maintenance Programs - Licensing Requiring that specified regulations adopted by the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene include a requirement that the process for approval of a license for an opioid maintenance program include an assessment of a specified catchment area, and the number of existing slots in opioid maintenance programs in a specified catchment area and the number of individuals in need of specified services in a specified catchment area; requiring the Secretary to adopt a specified regulation increasing a specified fee; etc. Hearing Date: Fri 3/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2016 HB1561/SB1081 Mental Health - Voluntary and Involuntary Admissions - Certification by Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners Defining "psychiatric nurse practitioner" for purposes of specified provisions of law relating to the voluntary and involuntary admissions of individuals to specified facilities for the treatment of mental disorders; prohibiting a certificate signed by a psychiatric nurse practitioner for the involuntary admission of an individual to specified facilities for the treatment of a mental disorder from being used for an admission under specified circumstances; etc. Hearing Date: Effective Date: October 1, 2016 SB1060/HB1416 Public Health - Opioid Maintenance Programs - Licensing Requiring that specified regulations adopted by the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene include a requirement that the process for approval of a license for an opioid maintenance program include an assessment of a specified catchment area and the number of existing slots in opioid maintenance programs in a specified catchment area and the number of individuals in need of specified services in a specified catchment area; requiring the Secretary to adopt a specified regulation increasing a specified fee; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 3/22 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2016 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] SB982 Maryland Private Equity and Venture Capital Authority Establishing the Maryland Private Equity and Venture Capital Authority in the State Retirement and Pension System for the purpose of providing recommendations regarding investments in private equity and venture capital in the State; beginning in fiscal year 2017, requiring the Authority to make recommendations to the Board of Trustees for the State Retirement and Pension System regarding the investment of specified additional funds; requiring the Board of Trustees to make investments in accordance with the Authority's recommendations; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/10 8:00 AM Effective Date: July 1, 2016 SB1110 Maryland Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer Incentive Program and Fund Establishing the Maryland Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer Incentive Program; establishing the purpose of the Program is to foster job creation and economic development in the State in a specified manner; requiring the Maryland Technology Development Corporation to administer the Program; authorizing a specified small business to apply to the Corporation for a grant under the Program to reimburse specified costs and to match specified funding awards; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 3/23 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2016 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB1220 Department of Health and Mental Hygiene - Health Program Integrity and Recovery Activities Authorizing the Inspector General or a specified Assistant Inspector General in the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to subpoena any person or evidence, administer oaths, and take depositions and other testimony for the purpose of investigating fraud, waste, or abuse of departmental program funds; authorizing a specified court to take specified actions under specified circumstances if a person fails to comply with a specified order or subpoena; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/3 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2016 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB1406 Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation - Adult Education - Adult High Schools Repealing specified provisions of law relating to the establishment and maintenance of specified schools for adults by county boards of education; requiring the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation, in consultation with the State Department of Education, by regulation and on or before December 31, 2016, to develop standards for the establishment of adult high schools; providing for the content of specified standards; etc. Hearing Date: Mon 3/7 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2016 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB1189/SB601 Hospitals - Community Benefit Report - Disclosure of Tax Exemptions Requiring a hospital to include an itemization of all tax exemptions the hospital receives in the hospital's community benefit report. Hearing Date: Thu 3/10 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2016 HB1272/SB886 Health - Collaborations to Promote Provider Alignment Exempting collaborations to promote provider alignment from provisions of law that prohibit a health care practitioner from referring a patient or directing persons to refer a patient to a specified health care entity, prohibit a health care practitioner from presenting or causing to be presented specified demands for payment, and require a health care practitioner to disclose the existence of a beneficial interest under specified circumstances; etc. Hearing Date: Mon 3/7 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2016 SB707/HB1350 Freestanding Medical Facilities - Certificate of Need, Rates, and Definition Exempting from the certificate of need requirements for change of scope or capital expenditures the conversion of a licensed general hospital to a freestanding medical facility, in accordance with specified requirements; altering the requirements for a public informational hearing for a hospital that files a notice of its proposed closing; requiring a hospital to hold a public informational hearing if the hospital requests an exemption from certificate of need requirements to convert to a freestanding medical facility; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/24 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2016 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB1018 Prince George's County - Closures or Partial Closures of Hospitals - Board of Health Approval PG 406-16 Prohibiting a person proposing to close or partially close a hospital located in Prince George's County that receives State and county funding from closing or partially closing the hospital unless the Prince George's County Board of Health is notified at least 90 days before the proposed closure or partial closure and the Board of Health approves the closure or partial closure; requiring the Board of Health to hold a specified public hearing within 30 days of receiving notice of the closure and at a location within 5 miles of the hospital; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/10 1:00 PM Effective Date: Upon Enactment HB1121/SB12 Health Care Facilities - Closures or Partial Closures of Hospitals - County Board of Health Approval Prohibiting a person proposing to close or partially close a hospital that receives State and county funding from closing or partially closing the hospital except under specified circumstances; requiring the county board of health for the county in which the hospital is located to hold a specified public hearing at a location within 5 miles of the hospital and within 30 days of receiving notice of the proposed closure or partial closure of a hospital; requiring the board of health to consider specified factors; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/10 1:00 PM Effective Date: Upon Enactment HB1265/SB857 Maryland Health Care Commission - Hospital and Physician Financial Arrangement Disclosure - Requirements Requiring each hospital and each physician that has a financial arrangement with a pharmaceutical manufacturer or a surgical hardware manufacturer to file a financial disclosure form with the Maryland Health Care Commission within a specified period of time; requiring the Commission to establish a specified database; authorizing the Commission to impose a specified fine under specified circumstances; requiring the Commission to adopt specified regulations; applying the Act prospectively; etc. Hearing Date: Mon 3/7 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2016 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB1492/SB928 Task Force to Study the Nurse Shortage in Maryland Establishing the Task Force to Study the Nurse Shortage in Maryland; providing for the composition, chair, and staffing of the Task Force; prohibiting a member of the Task Force from receiving specified compensation, but authorizing the reimbursement of specified expenses; requiring the Task Force to study and make recommendations regarding specified matters relating to changes in the nursing profession that have resulted in a shortage of nurses in the State and nation; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 3/9 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2016 HB1494/SB411 Income Tax - Credit for Physician Preceptors in Areas With Health Care Workforce Shortages Authorizing a credit against the State income tax for an individual who serves as a physician preceptor in specified preceptorship programs under specified circumstances and works in specified areas of the State with health care workforce shortages; requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to report to the Comptroller and the General Assembly on specified matters on or before January 31 of each taxable year; applying the Act to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015; etc. Hearing Date: Fri 3/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2016 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB800 Health Insurance - Payments to Noncontracting Specialists and Noncontracting Nonphysician Specialists Requiring, under specified circumstances, specified insurers, nonprofit health service plans, health maintenance organizations, and dental plan organizations to pay an amount that is at least equal to 140% of the rate paid by the Medicare program, as published by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, for covered services provided to a member by noncontracting specialists and noncontracting nonphysician specialists when a referral is granted to the member. Hearing Date: Thu 2/25 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2016 HB1006/SB648 Health Insurance - Coverage for Digital Tomosynthesis Establishing that a specified coverage requirement that applies to specified insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations includes coverage for digital tomosynthesis under specified circumstances; applying the Act to all policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in the State on or after January 1, 2017; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/3 1:00 PM Effective Date: Upon Enactment HB1150/SB887 Health Insurance - Consumer Health Claim Filing Fairness Act Requiring a specified health benefit plan to include provisions that permit enrollees a minimum of 1 year to submit a claim for a service, provide for the suspension of the minimum period of time, and provide that failure to submit a claim within the minimum period of time does not invalidate or reduce the amount of the claim; creating an exception to a provision of law that requires proof of loss to be furnished to an insurer in case of claim for loss within a specified period of time; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 2/25 1:00 PM Effective Date: January 1, 2017 HB1318/SB929 Health Benefit Plans - Network Access Standards and Provider Network Directories Requiring specified carriers to maintain or adhere to specified standards that assure that specified enrollees have specified access to specified health care providers and covered services; requiring specified carriers to file with the Maryland Insurance Commissioner a specified plan for review and approval; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 2/25 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2016 HB1376/SB1121 Health Insurance - Coverage of Air Ambulance Transport Services Requiring insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations that provide specified health insurance benefits under specified insurance policies or contracts to provide coverage for specified air ambulance transport services; requiring specified insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations that use a provider panel to ensure that provider panels include specified providers for a specified purpose; etc. Hearing Date: Mon 3/14 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2016 HB1505/SB335 Health Insurance - Assignment of Benefits and Reimbursement of Nonpreferred Providers - Modifications Making specified provisions of law relating to the assignment of benefits and the reimbursement of nonpreferred providers who are physicians applicable to other specified health care practitioners; altering the circumstances under which a provision for an insured to pay a balance bill may not apply; repealing the requirements that an assignment of benefits be obtained and that an insurer be notified for specified provisions of law to apply; etc. Hearing Date: Effective Date: October 1, 2016 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB1224 Organ Donation Driver Education Act of 2016 Requiring the Motor Vehicle Administration to adopt regulations requiring that classroom instruction for the driver education program include a video course of not more than 15 minutes that pertains to organ, eye, and tissue donation in the State and becoming an organ, eye, or tissue donor; and requiring the video course to be completed in the classroom. Hearing Date: Fri 3/4 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2016 HB1282 Health Enterprise Zone Practitioners - Trauma-Informed Care - Training Altering the definition of "Health Enterprise Zone practitioner", for purposes of provisions of law governing Health Enterprise Zones, to require that a health care practitioner included in the defined term be trained in trauma-informed care. Hearing Date: Tue 3/8 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2016 HB1385 Public Health - Electronic Advance Directives - Witness Requirements, Information Sheet, and Repository Services Providing that specified provisions of law apply to managed care organizations in a specified manner; requiring managed care organizations to offer electronic advance directives to their enrollees at a specified time; authorizing managed care organizations to contract with an electronic advance directives service under specified circumstances; repealing a provision of law providing that an electronic advance directive created in a specified manner satisfies specified requirements; etc. Hearing Date: Fri 3/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2016 HB1422/SB739 Integrated Community Oncology Reporting Program Establishing the integrated community oncology reporting program; establishing the purpose of the program; requiring the program to be administered by the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene, in consultation with the Maryland Health Care Commission; requiring the Secretary, in consultation with the Commission, to adopt regulations to implement the program; establishing requirements for the regulations; providing for the termination of the Act; etc. Hearing Date: Mon 3/7 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2016 HB1499/SB413 Developmental Disabilities Administration - Crisis Resolution Funding Requiring a specified report on the Waiting List Equity Fund to include specified information regarding individuals in the crisis resolution category of the waiting list for developmental disabilities services; establishing mandated appropriations for developmental disabilities community services; requiring the mandated appropriations to be used to provide services to individuals in the crisis resolution category on the waiting list for developmental disabilities services; etc. Hearing Date: Fri 3/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2016 SB933 War on Cancer and Diabetes - Awareness Campaign Requiring the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene to establish and promote a specified public information, awareness, and education campaign on cancer and diabetes; requiring the campaign to reach out to the general public and specified populations, disseminate specified information in a specified manner, and distribute materials free of charge to specified locations; authorizing the Secretary to request the services of interested advocacy groups and to contract for any necessary services; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 3/9 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2016 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB1217/SB899 Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Specialty Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services - Parity Requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to adopt regulations to ensure that the Maryland Medical Assistance Program is in compliance with specified federal laws; requiring the regulations to include standards regarding treatment limitations for specialty mental health and substance use disorder services that comply with the federal laws and relate to specified items; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 3/1 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2016 HB1221 Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Presumptive Eligibility - Required Participation by Hospitals Requiring licensed hospitals that participate in the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to agree to make presumptive eligibility determinations for the Program and actively submit presumptive eligibility applications to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on or before July 1, 2016; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/10 1:00 PM Effective Date: Upon Enactment HB1235/SB895 Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Nursing Services - Skills Checklist Requiring the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene to specify in regulations the skills checklist used as part of the process of determining the competency of nurses, certified nursing assistants, and home health aides to render nursing services through a residential service agency or a home health agency that is participating in the Maryland Medical Assistance Program. Hearing Date: Tue 3/1 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2016 HB1243 Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Specialty Care - Prohibition on Authorization Requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, on or before December 1, 2016, to adopt regulations that require the Department to determine the date on which the eligibility of a Maryland Medical Assistance Program recipient ends, require the Department to include specified information on an authorization for specialty care, and prohibit the Department from authorizing specialty care beyond the date on which the eligibility of a Program recipient ends; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 3/1 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2016 HB1347 Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Managed Care Organizations - Disenrollment Authorizing a Maryland Medical Assistance Program recipient, under specified circumstances, to disenroll from a managed care organization to maintain continuity of care with a pharmacy provider; requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to provide timely notification to the affected managed care organization of an enrollee's intention to disenroll under specified provisions of the Act; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 3/1 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2016 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB1383/SB1018 Health Insurance - Specialty Drugs - Participating Pharmacies Altering the conditions under which insurers, nonprofit health service plans, or health maintenance organizations may require a covered specialty drug to be obtained through a pharmacy participating in the provider network of the insurer, nonprofit health service plan, or health maintenance organization; altering the definition of "specialty drug"; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/10 1:00 PM Effective Date: January 1, 2017 Legislative Session Office Legislative Hotline is a service of Johns Hopkins Government Affairs. © 2016 The Johns Hopkins Institutions. 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Economic Development
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Health Care Administration & Facilities
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Health Care Occupations
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Health Insurance/Health Care Access
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Health, General/Public/Environmental
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Please contact Government Relations if you have concerns or would like additional information. Your input assists us greatly in evaluating and formulating the position of Johns Hopkins on all legislation.
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