State legislative update – first deadline approaching

Posted on: 2/21/20

The first deadline of session is fast approaching. Many priorities of the OHA have either been or will be heard in committee by the end of next week. One bill of interest to many of you is SB 801, the CRNA and anesthesiologist compromise bill. After several years of this scope of practice issue, the two sides have come to an agreement with the word collaboration rather than supervision. The bill has passed through the Senate and now heads to the House.

Another bill of interest is HB 2870/SB 1908, the Oklahoma Small Rural Hospital Survival Act. These bills require health care contracting simplification and protection for small hospitals. HB 2870 is scheduled to be heard in House Rules Committee before the committee deadline next week.

SB 1748, the Patient Disclosure Act, is scheduled to be heard in Senate Health and Human Services next week as well. The bill creates a method for patients to be treated for an emergency before they are asked for payment and know whether their emergency conditions will be paid for by their insurance.

SB 1718 is a bill supported by the Oklahoma Opioid Reform Coalition, of which OHA is a part, and it creates state-level transparency and accountability processes to ensure compliance with federal insurance mental health parity laws. The bill is double-assigned to Senate Retirement & Insurance and Senate Appropriations. It passed out of Senate Retirement & Insurance and is awaiting a hearing in Senate Appropriations.

Another bill that is double-assigned is SB 1290, the Medical Care Provider Protection Act. The bill provides health care worker protections to our health care staff and has passed out of both the Senate Public Safety and Appropriations Committee.

Lastly, HB 2791, which would require children ages 8-17 to wear seatbelts in the backseat, passed out of House Public Safety and is scheduled to be heard on the floor next week. (Scott Tohlen)