HB2072--ALTERNATIVETREATMENTOPTIONSFORVETERANS
SPONSOR: Sauls
ALTERNATIVETREATMENTFORVETERANS
ThisbillallowstheVeteransCommissiontocontractwithpublicor
privateinstitutionsofhighereducationinthisstate,orpublic
orprivateclinicsorhospitals,tofurnishalternativetreatment
optionsforveteranswhohavebeencertifiedbytheUnitedStates
DepartmentofVeteransAffairs,anybranchoftheUnitedStates
ArmedForces,oranystate-licensedphysicianashavingatraumatic
braininjuryorposttraumaticstressdisorder. Theinstitutionof
highereducationwillmanage,monitor,andensurethecomplianceof
contractedprovidersofanyofthefollowingalternativetreatment
options:
(1)Acceleratedresolutiontherapy;
(2)Equinetherapy;
(3)Hyperbaricoxygentherapy,whichwillbeprovidedata
registeredandlicensedhyperbaricoxygenfacility;
(4)Musictherapy;or
(5)Serviceanimaltrainingtherapy.
Aveteranqualifiestoreceivealternativetreatmentunderthis
billifheorshe:
(1)Hasbeendiagnosed,byahealthcarepractitioner,with
service-connectedposttraumaticstressdisorderoraservice-
connectedtraumaticbraininjury;and
(2)Voluntarilyagreestosuchalternativetreatment.
Theprovisionofalternativetreatmentwillbeunderthedirection
andsupervisionofanindividuallicensedunderthisstateto
performsuchalternativetreatment.
Thesupervisinglicensedprovidermustagreetocooperatewiththe
VeteransCommissiontoprovidedatasufficienttoassessthe
efficacyofalternativetreatmentmodalities. Acceptabledatamay
include,butwillnotbelimitedto,institutionalreviewboard
clinicaltrialdata,pretreatmentandposttreatmentMRIbrain
scans,cognitivetestingsuchastheRightEyetestingapprovedby
theUnitedStatesFoodandDrugAdministration, Automated
Neuropsychological AssessmentMetrics(ANAM)approvedbytheUnited StatesDepartmentofDefense,andCNSVitalSigns(CNSVS)metrics.
NolaterthanJanuaryfirstofeachyear,beginningin2023,the
VeteransCommissionwillprepareareportdetailingeach
alternativetreatmentprovidedunderthisbill,theprovidertype,
thenumberofveteransserved,andthetreatmentoutcomesandwill
submitthereporttotheGovernor,thePresidentProTemofthe
Senate,andtheSpeakeroftheHouseofRepresentatives.
HYPERBARICOXYGENTHERAPYFORVETERANS
Thisbillspecifiesthatalicensedphysician,alicensedadvanced
practiceregisterednurse,oralicensedphysicianassistantor
healthcarefacilityoranyprivatehyberbaricoxygentreatment
centerlicensedinthisstatewillmakehyperbaricoxygentherapy
availabletoamilitaryveteranwhomeetstherequirementsofthis
billandwhohasrequestedsuchtherapy.
Suchalicensedphysician,alicensedadvancedpracticeregistered
nurse,oralicensedphysicianassistantorhealthcarefacilityor
anyprivatehyberbaricoxygentreatmentcenterlicensedinthis
statemay:
(1)Providethehyperbaricoxygentherapywithoutreceiving
compensation;
(2)Requireamilitaryveterantopayforthecostofthe
hyperbaricoxygentherapyandanyassociatedcosts,ataratethat
willnotexceedthemaximumrateallowedbyMedicare;or
(3)Allowamilitaryveterantoutilizealternativesourcesof
fundingtocoverthecostofthehyperbaricoxygentherapyandany
associatedcosts.Suchalternativesourcesoffundingmayinclude,
butwillnotbelimitedto,gifts,grants,donations,
reimbursements fromfederalprograms,andcontributionsfromthird
parties. Theeligiblepatientwillremainliabletothehealth
careproviderorhealthcarefacilityoranyprivatehyberbaric
oxygentreatmentcenterlicensedinthisstateforanyportionof
costsnotcoveredbyalternativesourcesoffunding.
Thisbillspecifiesthatamilitaryveteranwillbeentitledto
receivehyperbaricoxygentherapyifthemilitaryveteran:
(1)HasreceivedadiagnosisofPTSDorTBI;
(2)Hasreceivedanofficialrecommendation forhyperbaricoxygen
therapyfromthehealthcareproviderthattreatstheeligible
patient;and (3)Residesinthisstate.
Alicensingboardwillnotrevoke,suspend,orfailtorenewthe
licenseofalicensedphysician,alicensedadvancedpractice
registerednurse,oralicensedphysicianassistant,ortakeany
otherpunitiveactionagainstahealthcareprovider,basedona
recommendation orcounselingbythehealthcareproviderrelating
toaccesstoortreatmentwithahyperbaricoxygenchamberfora
militaryveteran.
Nopersonactingonbehalfofthisstatewillblockorattemptto
blockamilitaryveteranfromreceivingaccesstohyperbaricoxygen
treatment.
Nopersonwillimposerestrictionsonaccesstohyperbaricoxygen
therapygreaterthantherestrictionsimposedinthisbillandany
otherapplicableprovisionsoflaw.
ThisbillcreatesintheStateTreasurythe"HyperbaricOxygen
TherapyforMilitaryVeteransFund",whichwillconsistofmoneys
collectedasspecifiedinthisbill.TheStateTreasurerwillbe
custodianoftheFundandmayapprovedisbursements. TheFundwill
beadedicatedfundand,uponappropriation, moneysintheFund
willbeusedsolelyforthepurposesdescribedunderthisbill.
AnymoneysremainingintheFundattheendofthebienniumshall
notreverttothecreditoftheGeneralRevenueFund.Moneysin
theFundwillbeusedbythe"HyperbaricOxygenTherapyAdvisory
Committee",establishedinthisbill,toprovide:
(1)Financialassistancetoeligiblepatientsforhyperbaric
oxygentherapy;and
(2)Directincentivesforthirdpartiestoprovidefinancial
assistancetoeligiblepatientsforhyperbaricoxygentherapy.
The"HyperbaricOxygenTherapyAdvisoryCommittee"willconsistof
ateamofvolunteermemberstobeappointedbytheGovernor. The
Committeewillinclude,butwillnotbelimitedto,activeor
retiredmembersoftheArmedForces,physicians,medicalexperts,
andnonmedicalexpertsinrelevantfieldsrelatedtomedicine. The
termsoftheCommitteememberswillbesetbytheGovernorupon
theirappointmenttotheCommittee. TheCommitteememberswill
serveatthepleasureoftheGovernorandmayberemovedfromthe
CommitteebytheGovernorforanyreason.
TheHyperbaricOxygenTherapyAdvisoryCommitteewill:
(1)RegularlydeterminehowtoawardmoneysintheFundaccording
totheprovisionsofthisbill; (2)Createandmaintainanapplicationforeligiblepatientsto
applyforfinancialassistanceforhyperbaricoxygentherapy;
(3)Makerecommendations totheGovernor,asnecessary,relating
totheuseofhyperbaricoxygentherapybymilitaryveterans;and
(4)SubmitanannualreporttotheGovernordetailingthe
financialstatusoftheFundandthedemographicinformationofthe
personstowhomfinancialassistancehasbeenawardedfromthe
Fund.
ThisbillissimilartoHB1213(2021).