HB398--HEALTHCARE
SPONSOR: Peters
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPass"bytheStandingCommitteeon
HealthandMentalHealthbyavoteof16to0.
Thisbillmodifiesprovisionsrelatingtohealthcare.
EXPEDITEDPARTNERTHERAPY(Section191.648,RSMo)
ThebilladdsTrichomoniasis tothelistofsexuallytransmitted
diseasesthatifanindividualisdiagnosedwith,aphysicianis
allowedtotreattheindividual'ssexpartnerswithoutan
interveningmedicalevaluationorprofessionalprevention
counseling. Thebillalsoaddsanyothersexuallytransmitted
infectiondesignatedasappropriateforexpeditedpartnertherapy
bytheDepartmentofHealthandSeniorServicesorrecommendedfor
expeditedpartnertherapyinthemostrecentCentersforDisease
ControlandPreventionguidelines. Thebillexpandstheuseof
expeditedpartnertherapyinsuchcasesfromphysicianstohealth
careprofessionalslicensedunderchapters334or3335authorized
toprescribemedications.
SPECIALTYHOSPITALS(Section192.2521)
Thisbillexempts"specialtyhospitals",asdefinedinthebill,
fromcertainprovisionsoflawrelatingtoforensicexaminations
forvictimsofsexualassault,providedthatthespecialtyhospital
hasapolicyfortransferofavictimtoanappropriatehospital
withanemergencydepartment.
BLOODTESTSFORPREGNANTWOMEN(Section210.030)
Thebillmodifiesprovisionsgoverningbloodtestsandmaternal
screeningforpregnantwomen.Currently,pregnantwomenareasked
totakeabloodtestatthetimeofthefirstprenatalexamination,
ornolaterthan20daysafterthefirstprenatalexamination,to
screenforsyphilisandhepatitisB,aswellasanyothertreatable
diseasesandmetabolicdisordersasareprescribedbythe
DepartmentofHealthandSeniorServices.
Thisbillrequiresanadditionalbloodsampletobetaken,withthe
woman'sconsent,at28weeksofpregnancy,andexpandsthelistof
diseasesforscreeningtoincludehepatitisCandHIV.Thebill
alsorepealsaprovisionoutliningtheprocedureforalatersample
ofawoman'sbloodinanyareaofthestatedesignatedasa
syphilisoutbreakarea,andprovidesthatifawomantestspositive
forsyphilis,hepatitisBorC,orHIV,oracombinationthereof, thephysicianorpersonprovidingcaremustadministertreatmentin
accordancewiththemostrecentacceptedmedicalpracticetotreat
suchdiseases.
ThebillrepealsareferencetotheMissouriGeneticDisease
AdvisoryCommittee,grantingtheDepartmentthesoleauthorityto
makerulespertainingtothesetests,providedthatthetestsare
ofthetypesapprovedoracceptedbytheUSFoodandDrug
Administration. Thebillalsorepealsarequirementthatapproved
standardtestsforthesediseasesmustbemadeinaDepartment-
approvedlaboratory.
SELF-ADMINISTEREDHORMONALCONTRACEPTIVES COVERAGE(Section
376.1240)
BeginningJanuary1,2025,thisbillrequiresanyhealthbenefit
planinMissouritoreimburseahealthcareproviderordispensing
entityforthedispensingofasupplyofself-administeredhormonal
contraceptives intendedtolastuptooneyear.Thebillprohibits
thecoveragefrombeingsubjecttoanygreaterdeductibleorco-
paymentthanothersimilarhealthcareservicesprovidedbythe
healthbenefitplan.
MAMMOGRAPHY(Section192.679)
Thebillrepealsprovisionsrelatingtorequirednoticeprovidedto
patientsupontheircompletionofamammogram.
ThisbillissimilartoHCSHB2413(2024).
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatasitrelatestotheyearsupply
ofcontraception, thatthiswouldcreateparitybetweenpersonson
publichealthinsuranceandpersonsinemployer-sponsoredbenefit
plans.Additionally,therearemanyissuesparticularlyaround
transportation accessforruralorimpoverishedpeople,andthis
typeofpolicyhasnodocumentedevidenceinthe28otherstates
thathaveasimilarpolicyinplacethatpremiumsarerisingasa
result.Physicianstypicallywritetheprescriptionforayear
with30-dayrefills,andthereforewouldnotbetakingdifferent
actionontheactualprescribingofthemedication.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Peters;
MissouriStateMedicalAssociation;MissouriAssociationof
OsteopathicPhysiciansandSurgeons;M.RyanBarker,St.Louis
IntegratedHealthNetwork;MissouriChapteroftheAmericanAcademy
ofPediatrics;NationalAssociationofSocialWorkers-MoChapter;
ReachHealthcareFoundation;BJCSt.LouisChildren’sHospital;St.
LouisCounty;MissouriCenterforPublicHealthExcellence;
AssociatedStudentsoftheUniversityofMissouri;ArnieDienoff; MissouriFamilyHealthCouncil;KidsWinMissouri;Children'sTrust
Fund;MissouriNursesAssociation;MissouriCoalitionAgainst
DomesticandSexualViolence;MalloryRusch,EmpowerMissouri;
KristinaGrant;MissouriHospitalAssociation;JenBernstein,
NationalCouncilofJewishWomenSt.Louis;ChristineJackson,
DO/Mph;TimothyA.Swearengen,MAOPS;DavidBarbe,MD,Missouri
StateMedicalAssociation;MissouriRuralHealthAssociation;
MissouriPharmacyAssociation;RxOutreach;St.LouisCounty.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatasitrelatestothe
insurancerequirementforcontraceptionthatnooneisguaranteeda
year'sworthofanykindofservicesuchascableoracellphone
plan,andthatinsurancecompanieshavenoguaranteethatamember
whogetscoveredforayear'ssupplyofthecontraceptivewould
remainamemberforthedurationofthatyear.Noother
maintenancemedicationsaregiventhistypeofuniquetreatment.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwereAmerica'sHealth
InsurancePlans,BlueCrossBlueShieldofKC;LisaPannett.
OTHERS:Otherstestifyingonthebillsaythatthereisacost
requirementtothis,andthatitisuniquewhencomparedtohow
othertermsandmedicationsareissuedbyhealthinsurers.
TestifyinginpersononthebillwasMissouriInsuranceCoalition.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.