Health & Human Services 2023-2024
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Monday, July 8, 2024 to consider the following bill:
HB 1933 PN3435 (Rep. Benham) − Amends the Pharmacy Audit Integrity and Transparency Act to provide for the oversight of pharmacy benefit manager contracts in the Commonwealth, establishes Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) oversight of PBMs and creates consumer protections against practices of PBMs. Reported out as amended (motion to revert) unanimously.
A motion was made by Senator Brooks and seconded by Senator J. Ward to revert HB1933 PN 3435 back to prior PN2833. Motion passed unanimously.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Thursday, July 3, 2024 to consider the following bills:
HB 850 (Rep. Parker) – Amends the Human Services Human Services Code regarding reimbursement rates for ambulance transportation services. Reported out as amended unanimously.
A05240(Sen. Brooks)- The amendment changes the provisions of the bill from “shall” to “may”, sunsets the language in the bill after three years from the date that the waiver is approved and requires LBFC to do a study to review the costs to Commonwealth of the implementation of the waiver. Amendment passed unanimously.
HB 1633 (Rep. Frankel)– Establishes the Fair Contracting for Health Care Practitioners Act which prohibits the enforcement of certain noncompete covenants entered into by health care practitioners and employees. Reported out as amended unanimously.
A05412 (Sen. Brooks)- Clarifies definitions, modifies applicability and exceptions, revises notice requirements, and requires an impact study. Amendment passed unanimously.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Thursday, June 27, 2024 to consider the following nomination:
- Dr. Debra Bogen for Secretary of the Department of Health
Nomination: Reported unanimously with no recommendation
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 to consider the following bills:
SB 965 (Sen. Culver) Amends the Human Services Code to provide Medical Assistance (MA) coverage of rapid whole genome sequence (rWGS) testing. Reported out as committed unanimously.
SB 1080 (Sen. Culver) Amends the Vital Statistics Law to allow Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) to make death pronouncements in hospice settings. Reported out as committed unanimously.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, to consider the following bill:
SB 1000 (Sen. J. Ward & Sen. Tartaglione) – Amends the Pharmacy Audit Integrity and Transparency Act by expanding the scope of the act to include PBM contract requirements, outlines prohibited activities of PBMs, and provides the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) with oversight duties regarding PBMs. Reported out as amended unanimously.
A04554(Sen. Brooks)- Strengthens oversight of PBMs by updating the duties of PID as it relates to PBMs, provides for a mandated dispensing fee, and clarifies contract provision requirements between pharmacies and PBMs. Amendment passed unanimously.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, to consider the following:
HB 1795 (Rep. Gergely) – Amends the Clinical Laboratory Act by removing source plasma donation centers from Department of Health oversight. Reported out as committed unanimously.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Monday, December 11, 2023 to consider the following:
HB 1131 (Rep. Borowski)- Amends Act 218 of 1905 (establishing the Department of Health) to permit the Department of Health to close a state health center in a county that operates its own health department under the Local Health Administration Law. Reported out as committed unanimously.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Tuesday, October 24, 2023 to consider the following:
SB668 (Sen. J. Ward & Sen. Collett)– Amends the Health Care Facilities Act to allow certified nurse aides (CNAs) to become certified medication aides (CMA). Reported out as amended unanimously.
A02666 (Sen. Brooks)- Adds assisted living residences and personal care homes as allowable settings for CMAs. Amendment passed unanimously.
SB828 (Sen. Vogel)– Amends the Stroke System of Care Act by providing for a statewide stroke registry maintained and operated by the Department of Health (DOH). Reported out as amended unanimously.
A02651(Sen. Brooks)- Changes the reporting requirement for entities from quarterly to biannual. Amendment passed unanimously.
SB736 (Sen. Dush)– Amends Title 23 (Domestic Relations) to allow adoptees to receive a noncertified copy of original birth record from the Department of Health (DOH). Reported out as committed 10-1.
HB507 (Rep. Fiedler & Rep. Hanbidge)– Amends the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Act (Mcare) to prohibit pelvic, rectal, and prostate examinations on patients anesthetized or unconscious without informed consent for educational purposes. Reported out as committed unanimously.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, to consider the following legislation:
HB 479 (Rep. Borowski)– Amends the Human Services Human Services Code regarding reimbursement rates for ambulance transportation services.
Reported out as committed unanimously
Nomination Hearing at 11:00 am to consider Dr. Debra Bogen for DOH Secretary and Dr. Val Arkoosh for DHS Secretary
Both Nominations: Reported unanimously with no recommendation.
HHS Committee Senate Democratic Members all expressed their displeasure that it was not a favorable recommendation.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, to consider the following legislation:
SB 683 (Sen. Mastriano) − Amends Title 35 to require general acute care hospitals to test for fentanyl if a urine drug screening is conducted to assist in diagnosing a patient’s condition and provides for reporting requirements of urine drug screening results. Reported out as amended unanimously
A00732(Sen. Brooks)-Adds xylazine testing to the urine drug screening requirement under SB683. Amendment passed unanimously
SB 768 (Sen. Brooks) − Amends the Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Authority Act by staggering the terms of the board members and appropriating $2.5 million for the Rural Health Redesign Center Fund. Reported out as committed unanimously
SB 817 (Sen. Brooks) − Amends the Fiscal Code to establish a FQHC Primary Care Workforce Initiative. Reported out as committed unanimously
SB 712 (Sen. Brown) − Amends the Clinical Laboratory Act to allow clinical laboratories to directly advertise diagnostic testing. Reported out as amended unanimously
A01119(Sen. J. Ward)-Adds provisions of SB575 to the bill regarding source plasma donation centers. Amendment passed unanimously
Nomination Hearing at 11:00am to consider Dr. Latika Davis-Jones for DDAP Secretary
Nomination was reported out FAVORABLY by a unanimous vote
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, to consider the following bills:
SB 514 (Sen. Baker)– Amends the Childhood Blood Lead Test Act by requiring blood lead testing of all children in Commonwealth by two years of age. Reported out as committed unanimously
SB 520 (Sen. Brooks)- Amends the Human Services Code, as it relates to assisted living residences by providing for a prelicensure physical site waiver, requiring the Department of Human Services to take necessary actions to include assisted living services as part of covered Community Health Choices Program, and making other changes to regulatory requirements for personal care homes and assisted living residences.
A00263 (Sen. Brooks)-Removes the funding requirement provision Amendment passed unanimously
Reported out as amended 7-3
SR 120 (Sen. Brooks)-Directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) to conduct a study on emergency medical services (EMS) providers and the financial impact of non-reimbursable services from Medicaid for the emergency response calls not resulting in transportation to a hospital or treatment facility and issue a report to the Senate of Pennsylvania. Reported out as committed unanimously
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on May 2, 2023, to consider the following bills:
SB 100 (Sen. Brooks)– Establishes the Lyme Disease and Related Tick-Borne Illness Diagnoses and Treatment Act, requiring insurance coverage for treatment and testing for Lyme Disease or related tick-borne illnesses and imposes duties on the Department of Health. Reported out as committed unanimously
SB 205 (Sen. Fontana)- Establishes the Carbon Monoxide Alarm Standards in Child Care Facilities Act providing for the requirement of carbon monoxide detectors in child care facilities if the facility uses a fossil-fuel burning heater or appliance or has an attached garage. Reported out as committed unanimously
SB 262 (Sen. Schwank)- Amends the Maternal Mortality Review Act by adding reporting requirements for the Department of Health and the Maternal Mortality Review Committee regarding maternal morbidity data. Reported out as committed unanimously
SB 414 (Sen. Vogel)– Establishes the Sexual Assault Emergency Services Act, in order to promote Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Programs at hospitals throughout the Commonwealth. Reported out as committed unanimously
SB 500 (Sens. Brooks & Schwank)- Amends the Human Services Code to provide coverage for pasteurized human donor milk under the Medical Assistance program. This act may also be referred to as Owen’s Law. Reported out as committed unanimously
SB 549 (Sens. Muth & Collett)- Amends the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Act (Mcare) to prohibit pelvic, rectal, and prostate examinations on patients anesthetized or unconscious without specific informed consent for educational purposes. Reported out as amended unanimously
A00374 (Sen. Collett)-Aligns SB549 with HB507PN1033 which passed out of the House unanimously. Amendment passed unanimously
SB 555 (Sen. Brooks )- Amends the Fiscal Code of 2022 (Act 54 of 2022) to reduce the loaded mileage requirement for reimbursement of ambulance transportation services provided under the Medical Assistance program. Reported out as committed unanimously
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on April 26, 2023, to consider the following bills:
Senate Bill 244 (Sen. Argall)– Requires the Department of Human Services to check employer wage records and the Department of Revenue against recipient Medical Assistance (MA) and benefits from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on a quarterly basis. Reported out as committed 7-4.
Senate Bill 243 (Sen. Argall)- Requires the Department of Humans Services to check death certificates at the Bureau of Vital Statistics against recipients of Medical Assistance and benefits from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) monthly. Reported out as committed 7-4.
Senate Bill 245 (Sen. Argall) – Amends the Human Services Code by requiring the Department of Human Services to issue a report detailing information about lottery winnings of individuals receiving public assistance. Reported out as committed 7-4.
Senator Art Haywood
Committee Chair