2020 has been off to a quiet start compared to 2019. Colorado has some exciting new legislative efforts, but most of the others below are carried over from 2019 and do not appear to have a great deal of attention at this time. Please let me know if I have missed something happening in your state.
AK HB 92 – “not insurance” was introduced on 03/13/19 and remains active in the 2019 to 2020 joint sessions, but does not appear to have much attention.
CO HB 1140 – Colorado has already passed “not insurance” DPC defining legislation, but unfortunately Medicaid patients are prohibited from privately contracting for any “covered services” (DPC or otherwise). This bill “prohibits the department of health care policy and financing (department) from denying a medicaid recipient the right to purchase direct primary care services or enter into a direct primary care agreement.” It was introduced on 01/16/2020 by Rep Perry Buck and Sen Joann Ginal and a hearing is expected on 02/18/2020.
HI SB 232 – “not insurance” was introduced on 01/18/2019 and sent to committee on 01/22/2019. It has been carried over to the 2020 session but does not appear to have much attention.
IA SB 2256 - Is an act relating to a pilot program to allow the Medicaid program to act as a third-party payor or under direct primary care agreements.
IN SB 453 – DPC in public employee plans is unfortunately full of many flaws. This language appears to be a repeat of last year’s failed Indiana SB 470 covered in detail here.
MD SB 727 - “not insurance” legislation was introduced on 02/03/2020 by Sen Lam and referred to committee. This legislation was previously attempted in 2018 and 2019.
MN SB 2632 – “not insurance” legislation was introduced in the senate on 03/21/2019 after it had already passed the house by unanimous vote (covered in last year’s post). Hopefully the senate will act this year.
MO HB 1416 – Missouri is offering the same odd Medicaid pilot proposal again this year (carried forward from 2019). This was covered in last years post as well and it is unfortunately has too many flaws to garner support.
OK SB 386 – This medicaid pilot is excellently drafted. This was covered in the 2019 state legislative blog post. Other states would be wise to follow Oklahoma’s lead. Hopefully it will receive more attention this year.
SC SB 445 – This “not insurance” legislation has been carried forward from 2019 and does not have much attention at this time.
TN HB 894/SB 696 – This legislation discusses a feasibility study to determine whether adding DPC as a covered benefit for state employee plans would be wise. This language was carried forward from a 2019 effort.
WA SB 6062 - This legislation repeals the requirement that DPC practices file annual statements with the insurance commissioner’s office. After November 30, 2020 practices would no longer be required to file annual statements. They would still need to go through an initial registration and then would only interact with the OIC if they made some kind of update to the terms of their DPC patient contract or about a change of office address.
WI SB 28 – Is a “not insurance” effort carried forward from 2019. The committee vote in October of 2019 after various amendments was 3-2. It does not appear to have much attention at this time.