State Capitol Update: Provider rate floor bill crosses crucial hurdle
Posted on: 4/26/24
Thursday was the deadline for bills to be heard by the opposite chamber. Due to OHA member advocacy, SB 1675 (
Sen. Greg McCortney/ Rep. Marcus McEntire) passed off the House floor Thursday afternoon. The bill extends the healthcare provider rate floor in the SoonerSelect program and ensures competition in the marketplace by requiring a provider-owned organization to be awarded a contract during the next procurement cycle for SoonerSelect. By statute, the rate floor is set to expire on July 1, 2026. The bill passed off the House floor by a vote of 73 to 8 and is now destined for conference committee where negotiations will continue.
An OHA request bill carried over from last session also passed off the House floor Thursday. SB 707 (
Sen. Paul Rosino/Rep. Cynthia Roe) creates several rights for the relatives of deceased persons such as being informed of the right to private autopsy, the right for a relative to receive a timely death certificate and establishes a time frame for the investigation of determination of death. The bill now heads to the governor.
Another bill on its way to the governor is HB 1713 (
Rep. T.J. Marti/Sen. Jessica Garvin), which puts guardrails around the practice of white bagging. White bagging is an insurer practice that requires in-network facilities and providers to obtain and administer specialty drugs from an insurer-affiliated specialty pharmacy. A couple of provisions included in the bill are:
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Prohibiting health benefits plans and PBMs from refusing to authorize, approve, or pay a participating provider for providing covered physician-administered drugs to covered persons.
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Requires all white-bagged drugs distributed in the state to meet supply chain security controls set forth by the federal Drug Supply Chain Security Act as amended.
A bill requested by Saint Francis Health System is also on its way to the governor’s desk. HB 3199 (
Rep. Marilyn Stark/Sen. John Haste) expands peer review protections for those hospitals that conduct peer review of PAs and APRNs.
Wrapping up a busy week, HB 3190 (
Rep. Carl Newton/Sen. Garvin) passed off the Senate floor on Thursday. The bill reforms the prior authorization process and contains provisions that closely mirror a finalized rule to improve the prior authorization process within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The bill now returns to the House where it’s expected the House will accept Senate amendments and send the bill on to the governor. (
Scott Tohlen)