2017 Legislative Update AAHAM May 16, 2017 Elisabeth Hurst, JD

2016 Legislative Session 60 days Of 445 bills introduced, 86 flagged as bills of interest to the NHA Budget Shortfall Taxes Corrections School Funding Transitional Health Insurance Exactly 445 bills have been introduced this session -- a tally that does not include resolutions and constitutional amendments.  This is in addition to more than 400 measures carried over from last year.  With 50 working days remaining in the 2016 session, committees will hold afternoon hearings on new bills through March 3.  Senators and committees have until Feb. 19 to designate their priority legislation. 

2016 Legislative Session Passed Legislation LB 721 – Surgical First Assistant Practice Act LB 817 – Direct Primary Care Agreement Act LB 911 – Behavioral Health Blue Print/Statewide Assessment

2016 Legislative Session Appropriations: NE Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative 2% Medicaid provider rate increase 2% CHIP provider rate increase Additional 0.25% provider rate increase for behavioral health, nursing facilities, assisting living and ICF-DD providers Coverage for Hepatitis C medication & other FDA approved therapies Restoration of behavioral health aid previously reduced in 2013 for an average increase of 4.8% per year Health Aid Program: $6.4 million

2016 Legislative Session Defeated Legislation Effectively Defeated LB 900 – Repeal of the Helmet Law Effectively Defeated LB 1032 – Transitional Health Insurance Plan

2017 Legislative Session 90 days Of 667 bills, 122 flagged as bills of interest to the NHA Budget Shortfall ($1.1 billion gap between projected revenues and spending for the two-year budget period ending June 30, 2019) Biennial Budget Taxes Corrections Health and Human Services

Opportunities & Unknowns Political landscape 18 new senators 11 Republicans 7 Democrats New Speaker, New HHS Committee Chair Whole New Committee Composition

Opportunities & Unknowns Political landscape 32 Republicans 15 Democrats One Independent, One Libertarian 34 Senators started the session with less than two years experience (70% of the legislature)

HHS Committee Chair: Senator Merv Riepe (Ralston) Steve Erdman (Bayard) Mark Kolterman (Seward) Sara Howard (Omaha) Matt Williams (Gothenburg) Sue Crawford (Bellevue) Lou Ann Linehan (Elkhorn)

Appropriations Committee Chair: Senator John Stinner (Scottsbluff) Robert Clements (Elmwood) Robert Hilkemann (Omaha) John Kuehn (Heartwell) Kate Bolz (Lincoln) Mike McDonnell (Omaha) Dan Watermeier (Syracuse) Anna Wishart (Lincoln) Tony Vargas (Omaha)

2017 Legislative Session’s BIG ISSUES 90 day session turned into 60 day session Rules of the Legislature Referencing of Bills Day 33, 2 bills signed into law (28 in 2015) Day 51, 14 bills signed into law (83 in 2015) Bills still advancing

NHA’s Priorities 2017 Priorities Behavioral Health Telehealth Medicaid Program Transformation Credentialing of Health Care Professionals

2017 Legislative Session Bills of Interest Supported Legislation LB 61 – Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (HHS: Jan. 19) LB 255 – Dialysis Tech registry (HHS: Jan. 26) LB 285 – HIV prenatal testing (HHS: Jan. 26) LB 166 – Raymond Ruling/Hospital Pharmacy (HHS: Jan. 27) LB 442 – MCO Oversight committee (Executive Board: Feb. 1) LB 283 – LPN licensure (HHS: Feb. 3) LB 323 – Palliative Care Council (HHS: Feb. 3)

2017 Legislative Session Bills of Interest Supported Legislation LB 73 – T-21 smoking age increase (General Affairs: Feb. 13) LB 92 – Telehealth coverage (Banking: Feb.13) LB 88 – Credentialing of military spouses (HHS: Feb. 15) LB 342 – Nurse Compact clean-up (HHS: Feb. 15) LB 242 – BH provider recruitment (Approp.: Feb. 27) LB 441 – Medicaid Expansion (HHS: March 8)

2017 Legislative Session Bills of Interest Supported Legislation LB 513 – PPS base rate increase (Approp.: March 13) LB 205 – DD Providers appropriation (Approp.: Mar. 14) LB 206 – DD Providers rate increase (Approp.: Mar. 14) LB 438 – Cigarette tax increase (Revenue: March 17) LB 223 – PDMP clinicians (HHS: March 23)

2017 Legislative Session Bills of Interest Opposed/Neutral Legislation OPPOSITION LB 368 – Helmet Law Repeal (Judiciary: Feb. 6) LB 609 - Outpatient workers’ compensation schedule (B & L: March 6) LB 327 – Biennial Budget (Approp.: March 13) LB 59 – Abortion notice on website (HHS: March 22) NEUTRAL LB 195 – Mammography notification (HHS: Jan. 20)

2017 Legislative Session Preliminary Biennial Budget LB 327 – Biennial Budget (Appropriations: March 13) $8.2 million/year reduction in Medicaid Program 3% PPS Medicaid reimbursement rate cut 3% cut in Medicaid reimbursement for DME 1% Medicaid rate increase for nursing facilities & home health 1% Medicaid rate increase for DD providers 1% Medicaid rate increase for BH providers contracted with BH Regions

2017 Legislative Session Bills of Interest Priority Legislation Support LB 61 – Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (HHS: Jan. 19) LB 92 – Telehealth coverage (Banking: Feb.13) LB 513 – PPS base rate increase (Approp.: March 13) Oppose LB 327 – Biennial Budget (Approp.: March 13) LB 368 – Helmet Law Repeal (T & T: Feb. 6)

Discussion, Questions and Recommendations