News From ABA Advocates
Update from Call to Action:
Unfortunately in the 11th hour of this legislative session in the House Health Services Committee, SB 153 we worked to so hard to support; was gutted. The language of all three bills summarized in it, was removed–and replaced with language from two other bills related to the 340B drug program.
It is our understanding that the issues addressed in our supported version of SB 153 will be evaluated by the newly established Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board (MOAB), which was originally constituted in HB 9 but ultimately passed as part of HB 695 tonight. If enacted, the MOAB will be a body made up of legislators, executive branch leaders, and program stakeholders tasked with making recommendations to the General Assembly “regarding any aspect of the Kentucky Medicaid program, including but not limited to benefits and coverage policies, access to services and network adequacy, health outcomes and equity, reimbursement rates, payment methodologies, delivery system models, financing and funding, and administrative regulations.”
Despite the outcome of SB 153, the debate and consideration of key provider empowerment issues informed and educated many legislators and will accelerate progress as the MOAB forms and sets priorities for future legislative sessions. Candidly, these bills made it further this year than we originally anticipated and will certainly fuel momentum on these solutions.
For more information about legislation such as this and to support initiatives such as these, consider encouraging your organization join ABA Advocates.
ABA Advocates can be contacted at:
Baldwin Consulting
Phone: 502-931-3132
Email: mandy@netbbc.com”