From The State Capitols: Health Insurance Subsidies; Genetic Testing; Legalized Marijuana And More.
Health care news comes out of state legislatures in Minnesota, Florida, New York, California, Georgia, Texas and Connecticut.
Pioneer Press:
Minnesota Senate Approves Plan To Help Cover Health Insurers’ Costs
The Republican-controlled Minnesota Senate on Monday advanced a proposal to keep subsidizing health insurance companies for three years, setting up a conflict with DFL Gov. Tim Walz and Democrats. The proposal would maintain the reinsurance program, which lets the state absorb some of the expense to private health insurers to offset the cost of care for some of the pricier claims they cover. The Senate voted 37-28 to advance the bill, with some Democrats voting with their GOP peers in favor. Attempts fell short to align the bill with a health insurance rebate plan put forth by Walz. (Ferguson, 3/11)
The Star Tribune:
Minn. Senate Vote Sets Up Clash Over Lowering Health Care Costs
The reinsurance program, launched in 2017, uses a combination of state and federal funds to offset health insurer costs for covering plan participants with high medical bills. It has been credited with helping lower premium prices for the roughly 155,000 residents who buy insurance on their own. “Reinsurance works,” Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-Nisswa, said in a statement. “It has been effective in stabilizing the market and proven to be cost-effective for the state.” (Van Oot, 3/12)
Miami Herald:
FL Senators Weigh Using Genetic Testing In Insurance Coverage
As interest in commercially available genetic testing kits continues to rise, Florida senators are considering a proposal that would ban genetic test results from being used to deny or limit someone’s life, disability or long-term care insurance coverage. But the bill, which narrowly passed its first state Senate committee stop Monday, faces an uphill climb as some lawmakers and insurance lobbyists say the potential ban would hurt the industry’s ability to anticipate and calculate future risk. (Koh, 3/11)
The New York Times:
Black Lawmakers To Block Legalized Marijuana In N.Y. If Their Communities Don’t Benefit
Black lawmakers are blocking a push to legalize recreational marijuana in New York, warning that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s proposal could perpetuate the racial inequality fostered under current drug laws. The lawmakers say that unless people of color are guaranteed a share of the potentially $3 billion industry, there may be no legalization this year. (Wang and Mays, 3/11)
Modern Healthcare:
Scripps Supports California Bill To Fight Hospital Violence
The CEO of Scripps Health on Monday voiced support for a California proposal to increase penalties on people who attack hospitals workers. Assembly Bill 329, introduced Jan. 31, mandates up to one year in jail and fines of up to $2,000 for those who assault or batter a healthcare worker inside a hospital. Current California law imposes those penalties only on persons who attack first responders working outside hospitals in emergency situations. (Karash, 3/11)
Georgia Health News:
Proposals To Fight HIV Move Forward In General Assembly
The Georgia House has passed legislation to facilitate needle exchange programs to help prevent new infections among intravenous drug users. Such programs allow drug users to get clean needles instead of sharing and reusing the old ones. The chamber has also approved a measure to expand the Medicaid drug formulary, a list of available drugs, to include more HIV medications. (Miller, 3/11)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Georgia Democrats Propose Bills Targeting ‘Men’s Reproductive Health'
A pair of Georgia Democrats are planning to file bills that address “men’s reproductive health” as a way to highlight the differences in how health care is treated between the sexes. The proposals would target men’s health and impose restrictions that the sponsors said mimic what is being asked of women. (Prabhu, 3/11)
Politico Pro:
Texas Focuses On Teens' Mental Health After School Shooting
State lawmakers are prioritizing teen mental health funding this session in the wake of a Santa Fe school shooting that left 10 people dead last May. The effort echoes congressional Republicans' attempts to address mass shootings with mental health measures, which Democratic critics say distract from gun control legislation. (Rayasam, 3/11)
The CT Mirror:
Connecticut Lawmakers Advance Hemp Legislation
A pair of bills allowing commercial hemp farming in Connecticut have cleared their first hurdle, winning unanimous approval from the legislature’s environment committee. Advocates were emboldened by the move, but acknowledged the measures still have a long way to go. (Carlesso, 3/11)
MPR:
Senate Committee Torpedoes Legal Marijuana Bill
A Minnesota Senate committee Monday rejected a proposal to legalize marijuana in Minnesota, even rejecting a move by supporters of the bill that tried to change it to create a task force to study the issue. Six Republican members of the Judiciary and Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee repeatedly outvoted three Democrats who tried to keep the issue alive for the session. (Pugmire, 3/11)
