State legislative session first deadline has passed

Posted on: 2/26/21

This week marks the first milestone of this legislative session. As of Feb. 25, a bill must have passed out of its respective standing committee to continue on in the legislative process. 

Of note, bills that had been introduced regarding surprise billing and nurse practitioner scope of practice were not heard in committee. As our Legislature runs in two-year cycles, and this is the first year in the current cycle, these issues are eligible to be heard again next year since they did not receive a committee hearing. 

One bill of concern that is moving forward, SB 548 by Daniels, seeks to limit our ability to collect on medical debt and sets an artificial ceiling for emergency services at 150% of Medicare. Specifically, the bill prohibits any “medical service or care entity” from collecting medical debt UNLESS a good faith estimate of all health care costs is provided up front and agreed to by the consumer. As written, the bill would essentially require your facility to have a 24/7 billing department in order to comply with the provisions of the bill. 

Given the significant impact this bill poses upon our industry, OHA contacted CEOs and CFOs that had representation on the committee through VoterVoice. Thank you for contacting your senator, as your efforts led to title being struck on the bill, crippling the measure and giving us time to continue voicing our concerns with lawmakers. OHA and the Oklahoma State Medical Association have been asked by several committee members to work towards a compromise solution. 

We were successful in stopping another bill in the House. HB 2808 by Sneed was heard in the public health committee on Wednesday. The bill sought to create a new license for hybrid facilities (urgent care/ER). This was a more expansive concept compared to previous attempts to license such facilities in Oklahoma. As many of you are aware, this model has created demonstrable problems for our neighbors to the south, Texas. While this certainly won’t be the last attempt to create such a licensing scheme, we have hopefully put it to rest this session. 

In other news, we continue to move legislation that seeks to protect patients and providers from commercial managed care. 

HB 2299 by D. Roberts passed unanimously out of the House Rules committee. The bill seeks to protect enhanced reimbursement payment programs at Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma from commercial managed care. After passing out of committee, Rep. Roberts stated, “Today’s action by the Rules Committee should be a source of great relief not only to these two vital medical programs, their faculty and students, but also to thousands upon thousands of Medicaid recipients in rural and underserved parts of Oklahoma. Those are the people who stand to suffer without this legislation.” The bill now moves on to the floor. 

As a quick reminder, HB 1091 by Bush, the Ensuring Access to Medicaid Act, also seeks to protect patients and providers from commercial managed care. This bill passed unanimously out of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee last week. It establishes protections in statute for patients, providers and facilities participating in the Medicaid program under a commercial managed care model.

“If the state moves forward with a managed care model for Medicaid, we must ensure Oklahomans still have access to quality health care,” Bush said. “This bill would put in statute contract provisions the Health Care Authority would have to establish to protect the rights of qualifying participants.”

The next legislative deadline is March 11, when all bills must be heard and passed out of their chamber of origin. Please remember to download and sign up for the VoterVoice app, and opt-in for text alerts by sending your mobile number to [email protected]. Our grassroots advocacy is more important than ever and we cannot accomplish the work of the association without you. (Scott Tohlen)