Recent Action for Healthcare and Drug Control Bills

Dustyn Thompson recently pointed out that I had missed some healthcare, health insurance, opioid and drug control bills in the last interation of the Vote Tracker.   That oversight has been fixed with the new Vote Tracker, released this morning, and here are some new bills that have been added.

HB386 – Requiring insurance coverage of the treatment of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders
This Act requires that individual, group, State employee, and public assistance insurance plans provide coverage for treatment of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections and pediatric acute onset neuropsychiatric syndrome. This Act suspends this requirement for individual and group insurance plans if, under the Affordable Care Act, the State is required to assume the cost of this coverage.

STATUS – On Ready List in the Senate (on agenda today)
HISTORY – Passed House 30-7-0-4.
SPONSORS – Baumbach, Poore, Lopez, Ramone, Hansen, Brady, Kowalko
YES – B.Short, Baumbach, Bennett, Bolden, Brady, Carson, D.Short, Gray, Heffernan, Hensley, J.Johnson, Jaques, K.Williams, Keeley, Longhurst, Lynn, Matthews, Miro, Mitchell, Mulrooney, Osienski, Outten, Paradee, Potter, Q.Johnson, Ramone, Schwartzkopf, Smyk, Viola, Yearick
NO – Briggs King, Collins, Hudson, Kenton, Postles, Spiegelman, Wilson
ABSENT – Bentz, Dukes, Kowalko, M.Smith
NOT VOTING – None

SB225 – Allowing Non-Opioid Methods of Treating Back Pain
This Act encourages prescribers and patients to use proven non-opioid methods of treating back pain by doing the following: 1. Prohibits numerical limits on physical therapy and chiropractic care, which might deter prescribers or patients from using those treatments rather than opioids. 2. Adds continuing education requirements for prescribers relating to risks of opioids and alternatives to opioids. 3. Creates a pilot program within the state employee health care plan that allows the use of massage therapy, acupuncture, and yoga for the treatment of back pain.

The bill already passed the Senate 11-5-2-3. Not one Republican voted for it, some some inexplicable reason. I heard they were having a temper tantrum over the Senate trying to suspend the rules and get a vote on SB163 (Assault Weapons Ban). They did this despite claiming to want to help join the effort to fight our current opioid epidemic. Even the health insurance industry said that this bill will save money, reduce opioid usage, and help prevent expensive surgeries. Yet, not one Republican supported it.

STATUS – House Economic Development/Banking/Insurance/Commerce 6/22/18
HISTORY – Passed Senate 11-5-2-3.
SPONSORS – Hansen, Keeley, Ennis, Walsh, Baumbach, Bentz, Briggs King, Collins, Kowalko, K.Williams
YES – Bushweller, Ennis, Hansen, Henry, Marshall, McBride, McDowell, Poore, Sokola, Townsend, Walsh
NO – Bonini, Hocker, Lawson, Lopez, Pettyjohn
ABSENT – Clouter, Richardson, Simpson
NOT VOTING – Delcollo, Lavelle

HB440(S) – Creating an Overdose System of Care.
House Bill 440(S) establishes an overdose system of care to improve care, treatment, and survival of the overdose patient in State of Delaware. This Act allows the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services to establish stabilization centers that can receive overdose patients from Emergency Medical Services and designate acute health care facilities, freestanding emergency departments, and hospitals that meet established requirements as an overdose system of care centers.

This Act also establishes a standing Overdose System of Care Committee to assist in the oversight of the overdose system of care and provide recommendations for its implementation and maintenance.

This Act establishes an overdose system of care to improve care, treatment, and survival of the overdose patient in State of Delaware. This Act allows the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services to establish stabilization centers that can receive overdose patients from Emergency Medical Services and designate acute health care facilities, freestanding emergency departments, and hospitals that meet established requirements as an overdose system of care centers. This Act also establishes a standing Overdose System of Care Committee to assist in the oversight of the overdose system of care and provide recommendations for its implementation and maintenance.

STATUS – Senate Ready List
HISTORY – Passed House 40-0-111-5-2-3.
SPONSORS – Bentz, Hansen, Townsend, Ennis, Henry, Poore, Sokola, Baumbach, Jacques, Keeley, Kowalko, Lynn, Matthews, Mitchell
YES – Everyone but Paradee
NO – None
ABSENT – Paradee
NOT VOTING – None

HB374 – Adding Conditions to be Eligible under the Medical Marijuana Act.
This bill adds glaucoma, chronic debilitating migraines, pediatric autism spectrum disorder, pediatric sensory processing disorder to the list of debilitating medical conditions which may qualify a person, upon certification by a physician, to be eligible for the use of medical marijuana in accordance with the terms of the Delaware Medical Marijuana Act.

STATUS – Senate Ready List
HISTORY – Passed House 41-0 and Senate 19-0-0-2.  Ready for the Governor to sign.
SPONSORS – Schwartzkopf, Lopez, Townsend, Potter, Delcollo, Henry, Marshall, Sokola, Baumbach, Bentz, Bolden, Heffernan, Hudson, Jaques, Q.Johnson, Kowalko, Mitchell, Osienski, Outten, Paradee, B.Short, Spiegelman, Viola, K.Williams
YES – Everyone but Cloutier and Simpson
NO – None
ABSENT – Cloutier, Simpson
NOT VOTING – None