Several state legislatures are sending healthcare related bills to their governors for consideration. The American College of Radiology® (ACR®) state government relations department tracks hundreds of bills every session and brings the following notable legislation to members’ attention:
ACR President Recognition
Georgia
House Resolution 1714, passed by the legislature, recognizes and commends William T. Herrington, MD, FACR, on his election to President of the ACR.
Out of Network Billing
Washington State
House Bill (HB) 1957 preserves coverage of preventive services without cost sharing. It authorizes the state insurance commissioner to adopt rules related to any subsequent preventive services recommendations or guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and the United States Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) consistent with federal law. This includes evidence-based items or services that have a rating of A or B in the current recommendations of the USPSTF and additional preventative care and screenings for women provided for in comprehensive guidelines supported by HRSA. Gov. Jay Inslee signed the bill and it takes effect June 6.
Breast Density Reporting
Indiana
HB 1058 requires a facility performing a mammography examination to provide: an assessment of the patient's breast tissue density using specified classifications; written notice to the patient and the referring provider; and specified notification language depending on whether the facility determined the patient to have dense breast tissue or not dense breast tissue. The bill requires the medical licensing board of Indiana to amend an administrative code rule to remove references to "high breast density" and to align with the breast tissue density classifications in this act. The bill was signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb.
Scope of Practice
Arizona
HB 2113 expands the acts that a medical assistant may perform without the direct supervision of a medical doctor, physician assistant or nurse practitioner. This includes billing and coding, verifying insurance, making patient appointments, performing scheduling, recording a medical doctor’s findings in patient charts and transcribing materials in patient charts and records, performing visual acuity screening as part of a routine physical and taking and recording a patient’s vital signs and medical history on medical records. The bill was signed by Gov. Katie Hobbs.
Washington State
HB 2355 establishes a primary certification process for magnetic resonance imaging technologists. The bill was signed by Gov. Jay Inslee and takes effect June 6.
West Virginia
Senate Bill 667 creates the Physician Assistant (PA) Compact. This compact allows PAs who meet its eligibility requirements to practice in other compact states. The bill was signed by Gov. Jim Justice.
Cancer screening mandates
Virginia
HB 238 requires health insurers to provide coverage for examinations and laboratory tests related to colorectal cancer screening in accordance with the most recently published recommendations established by the USPSTF for colorectal cancer screening for which a rating of A or B is in effect with respect to the individual involved. The bill requires such coverage to include coverage of a follow-up colonoscopy after a positive noninvasive stool-based screening test or direct visualization screening test. The bill prohibits such coverage from being subject to any deductible, coinsurance, or any other cost-sharing requirements for services received from participating providers. The bill was signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
The ACR has partnered with Fiscal Note, a legislation and regulation tracking service, to provide continuous, comprehensive updates on radiology and healthcare-related legislation. To stay current on state legislative developments relevant to radiology, view the ACR policy map.
For more information about state legislative activities, or if you’d like to have access to Fiscal Note, contact Eugenia Brandt, ACR Senior Government Affairs Director, or Dillon Harp, ACR Senior Government Relations Specialist.