HCSHB2634--HEALTHCARE
SPONSOR: Smith(163)
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonGeneralLawsbyavoteof12to4.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
2634.
Asspecifiedinthisbill,nopublicfundsshallbeexpendedtoany
abortionfacility,oraffiliatethereof,includingforMOHealthNet
reimbursement.
Anytaxpayer,aswellastheAttorneyGeneral,shallhavestanding
tobringacauseofactioninanycourtoradministrative agencyof
competentjurisdictiontoenforcetheseprovisions,asdescribedin
thebill.
ThebillmodifiesexistingstatutepermittinganyMOHealthNet
participanttoobtainMOHealthNetservicesfromanyproviderof
suchservicesinaMOHealthNetprovideragreementwiththeState
byrequiringsuchprovidertonotbedisqualifiedorexcludedfrom
servingasaMOHealthNetprovider.
Additionally,thisbillrequirestheDepartmentofSocialServices
tosuspend,revoke,orcancelanycontractorprovideragreementor
refusetoenterintoanewcontractorprovideragreementwithany
providerwhenithasbeendeterminedthattheproviderisnot
qualifiedtoperformtherequiredservicesbecausetheproviderhas
committedcertainoffensesspecifiedinthebill,includingbeing
foundguiltyofapatternofintentionaldiscrimination inthe
deliveryornon-deliveryofhealthcareservices,orbeingfounded
byapersonwhosupportedeugenics,oriftheproviderisan
abortionfacilityoraffiliatethereof.
Lastly,thebillprohibitsreimbursementtoabortionfacilities,or
affiliatesthereof,underthe"UninsuredWomen'sHealthProgram".
Thisbillhasanemergencyclause.
ThisbillisthesameasSCSSBNos.1168&810(2024).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisbillpromotestherightsof theunborn.Missouriisapro-lifestateandthereforeshould
protectthelivesoftheunborn.Anyfacilityaffiliatedwithan
outofstatefacilitythatperformsabortionsshouldnotreceive
publicfunds.Proponentsofthebillstatedthatif
providerswereagainstthebill'spassing,theywouldhaveshowed
uptothehearingtovoicetheirdispleasure. Manyproponents
statedthatthisbill'spassingwouldensuretaxpayermoneyis
reservedforserviceswetrulyneed.Proponentsdon'twant
taxpayermoneytobeusedinsupportoffacilitiesaffiliatedwith
abortion.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Smith;
CampaignLifeMissouri;andMissouriRightToLife.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatthisbillprevents
Missouripatientsfromgettinglifesavingcaresuchascancer
screenings,STItesting,etc.Thisbillalsoblockspatients
insuredbyMOHealthNetfromchoosingtheirhealthcareprovider
becauseanyhealthcareproviderthatisaffiliatedwithan
abortionfacilitywouldautomaticallybedisqualifiedfrom
selection. Proponentsstatethatthisbill'spassingwould
disproportionately impactvulnerableMissouriansthatdon'thave
theluxuryofbeingabletochoosewhichhealthcarefacilitytogo
to.ProgramslikePlannedParenthood,whichwouldbeimpactedby
thisbill,allowvulnerableMissourianstohaveaccesstohealth
carethatwouldnotbeavailableotherwise.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwereAbortionAction
Missouri;MissouriFamilyHealthCouncil;AdvocatesofPlanned
ParenthoodoftheSt.LouisRegion&SouthwestMissouri;andMay
Hall.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.