[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6394755,"mediaKeyId","2102054-c568061d2cce3873164e588740361cbc","parentId",2102054,"title","Kentucky Hospital Association says ATRIP raised payments and helped hospitals reduce readmissions, sepsis and opioid prescribing","audioSeconds",983,"startMs",1570000,"endMs",2553000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2102054-c568061d2cce3873164e588740361cbc&start=1570&end=2553","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2102054-c568061d2cce3873164e588740361cbc/thumbnail_1570000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6394755/Kentucky/Kentucky-Hospital-Association-says-ATRIP-raised-payments-and-helped-hospitals-reduce-readmissions-sepsis-and-opioid-prescribing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6394755-bb7233cabc8cc288a31811752ee76619/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159686&Signature=n-tHFQab6gG9xsF6tUdmqjVsZCKxHSAI35nv0Gt62yfWATbMCKilBIKm2sa3J~~fsq1SALl-0KDKSP8ZBWrKxDp4EhN-nuEysma7EPgSSVlTq4pbcXn0XhTn-sQRD95B3KxKhuKYriqoHy~ymCEVCg4KldGEzpZG8U2aoTfBRE65QJiM2kqwjOEo~9Rn7X~Q5m-Vo283JrxEKzWF6Q97kFc59Ow8~CmAi0ICLS1QL01Bds3n0oOneVKG9tE1DwX8ea6tIkLRMHhW3FKLPZ0y1OclhruiSANFz2QtFbhduwpRSYcbutgKiDYouAKg3W6Tn6W8vq-lD03nTiO2sWMRxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","KY LRC Committee Meetings","date","2025-01-09T00:00:00Z","article","Kentucky Hospital Association leaders told the Committee on Health Services that the Medicaid state-directed Hospital Rate Improvement Program (known in testimony as ATRIP) has increased hospital Medicaid payments, funded quality initiatives and supported statewide improvements in several clinical areas.

Nancy Galvani, senior KHA representative, and Jim Musser presented the program to the committee and described ATRIP as a Medicaid state-directed payment program that allows the state to draw down additional federal funds funded by a hospital provider assessment. They described the program as increasing Medicaid payments to roughly 95% of the average commercial payment rate for inpatient and outpatient services and as a value-based program that ties a portion of funding to quality-improvement measures.

Presenters said hospitals used ATRIP funds to expand sepsis screening and early treatment, reduce unplanned readmissions (from an indicated baseline near 10% to about 6% in one year in the materials cited by presenters), reduce infection rates, and sustain opioid-stewardship measures that have cut multiple-opioid prescriptions at discharge. KHA said ATRIP-funded work enabled screening of 98% of emergency-department patients for sepsis and screening of more than 1,000,000 ED patients for suicidal ideation; presenters said about 90% of patients older than 11 visiting EDs are screened for suicidal ideation and referred as appropriate.

KHA representatives said ATRIP has allowed hospitals to invest in staff training, processes and salaries, citing reduced vacancies and improved staff retention as a downstream benefit of the program. The association said without ATRIP, Kentucky hospitals would be operating at an average negative operating margin and some rural hospitals could be at risk of closure. Presenters also highlighted the 340B drug-purchase discount program as an important non-tax revenue source that lets safety-net hospitals redirect savings toward salaries and services.

Committee members asked about data, transparency and outcomes measurement. KHA said readmission reductions are being measured through claims data; social-determinants screenings and referral counts are being collected but longer-term tracking of whether referrals were completed would require linkage across community referral partners and raise HIPAA considerations. KHA described existing federal price-transparency rules and the good-faith-estimate requirement under the federal No Surprises Act and said hospitals are following both federal rules.

Presenters described a separate but related \"Food Is Medicine\" initiative, coordinated with the state Department of Agriculture and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, that provides fresh local produce and proteins to patients; KHA said it intends to brief the committee on that program at a later date. Committee members expressed interest in using ATRIP-supported initiatives to address upstream drivers of chronic disease such as nutrition and transportation.

KHA said it collects and shares hospital claims and quality data with Medicaid and maintains a public transparency site with utilization trends; presenters noted Kentucky's all-payer claims database and existing reporting to the Department for Public Health as sources for analysis. KHA also cited national reports showing Kentucky's commercial hospital prices are low compared with other states and that Medicare and Medicaid payment limitations have increased pressure on hospital finances.

KHA representatives took questions from members representing rural districts and emphasized that ATRIP combined with other programs (including 340B and prior rebasing actions) has helped many rural hospitals remain open and stabilize staffing.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Standing Committee on Health Services (1-9-25)","oneSentenceSummary","Kentucky Hospital Association presenters told the Committee on Health Services that ATRIP raised Medicaid payments to near commercial levels and funded quality initiatives that coincided with lower readmissions, greater sepsis screening, reduced opioid prescribing and increased mental-health screening in emergency departments.","taxTitle","Committee on Health Services, House of Representative, Committees, Legislative, Kentucky","taxId",29085,"location","Kentucky","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6394760,"Board of Interpreters debate recognition of EIPA for full licensure; committee hears oversight concerns",538,446000,984000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2102054-c568061d2cce3873164e588740361cbc&start=446&end=984","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2102054-c568061d2cce3873164e588740361cbc/thumbnail_446000.jpg","/articles/6394760/Kentucky/Board-of-Interpreters-debate-recognition-of-EIPA-for-full-licensure-committee-hears-oversight-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6394760-77194143c5e06ea35766589df10c0d18/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159686&Signature=VF9G5Kv~ncPquv5rgWnTef0Ns-n5D9AitD4ErI2CumQLfiNosUP4pwejqW0aUE8xlJLCyRl~sSO3qbva7-q8BCbK0jeuYTe5NE7xTH87ITDMitV2mgGjC4oYJ6aPyHX~W~0YW5Szb4T~f25LlxCXNyGzlf3DIPZFdOmdLv~KxY9nltVhYjx90YDWOZ3HMhzkSPzKd7p4JgbHpOc-A109szQwqbSs2gQCGrBPPHf6DOq4yWM6jl~mTaQ37Hy8PtkbbwLUeDJMQcHDy8aQY0wfhXnexd~Dr60IByOxwnI~bAr4QSFukZfa0Xf8o66cE9JqQqjj2sVnTspNkOra1tpDjg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kentucky Board of Interpreters leaders told the Committee on Health Services that the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) should not be recognized as sufficient for full, statewide licensure for interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Marva Johnson, chair of the Kentucky Board of Interpreters, told the committee the EIPA is an education-focused assessment for school settings and is not a nationally recognized certification that demonstrates readiness to serve across clinical, legal, or community settings. The board said recognizing EIPA for full licensure has allowed some educational interpreters to work outside their training and scope, creating confusion for hiring entities and raising oversight concerns.

Representative Callaway and committee members asked whether the board sought a provisional license category or statutory change to separate educational interpreter credentials from a full license. Johnson said the board lacked authority under current statutory language to treat EIPA as a national certification and that creating a separate statutory category for educational interpreters might address the gap while preventing educational-only credential holders from serving in clinical or legal settings without additional qualifications.

The committee's discussion noted earlier administrative-regulations concerns that stricter certification requirements could make it harder for out-of-state interpreters to obtain Kentucky licensure amid an existing statewide shortage of interpreters. Johnson said the board's stance was not intended to restrict access but to ensure that full-license holders meet standards established by nationally recognized certifying bodies and that hiring entities understand the difference between entry-level, educational, and full-community interpreter credentials.

Committee members asked the board to work with stakeholders on potential statutory language or regulatory fixes that would preserve appropriate access for schools while clarifying scope, certification, and oversight for community, medical, and legal interpreting.

","Kentucky Board of Interpreters representatives told the Committee on Health Services that the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) should not be treated as a national certification for full licensure, citing scope-of-practice and oversight risks.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6394764,"Committee on Health Services defers behavioral-health associate regulations after access concerns",761,936000,1697000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2102054-c568061d2cce3873164e588740361cbc&start=936&end=1697","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2102054-c568061d2cce3873164e588740361cbc/thumbnail_936000.jpg","/articles/6394764/Kentucky/Committee-on-Health-Services-defers-behavioral-health-associate-regulations-after-access-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6394764-e9f9e9e32448560686211e1be296b7af/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159686&Signature=Rzy77AluWLH~Zkn046uRJ2h8cuVwAblB4wYkYE7ILAkB~vvV~cypgOPOnaXvUF32mTk1xe7HrLKv1iRDP5h-4uQ1prjgLBCCqss3XnccDJO71glJwP4vY0P~zOXODDWuOz1G6S5uCYHfdxRs5Pek1OMankJfZe3oYA8qN5oRHVy2lTJNk7BXWIS0nYFQKmzTyh69~h5yTIJCXJWg9Frn7WruF-3kDcKG~YxImnicmyqWJvgSSgBcUwiEZxhSrPx9OJr3iNYzwYjd2A8Y3pkooVWo2y7gNGHRhtSiFdExLKVG381uhqsBtgrM2MRhfACGvwKeKQLxVkPsQezs0Fpygg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee on Health Services voted to defer two proposed administrative regulations that would rename and change qualifications for mental health associates to behavioral health associates.

The regulations — identified in committee discussion as 907 KAR 001:044 and 907 KAR 015:005 — were postponed after committee members and providers raised concerns that new coursework and qualification requirements could reduce access to care in rural areas. Chairwoman Mosher presided over the motion to defer; the motions were seconded and approved by voice vote.

Committee members said the Department for Medicaid Services filed the regulations to expand the existing mental health associate role into a behavioral health associate (BHA) provider type that Medicaid would allow in roughly 2,000 additional outpatient settings, including behavioral health multi-specialty groups and behavioral health services organizations. Jonathan Scott, regulation coordinator for the Department for Medicaid Services, told the committee the proposal would move individuals toward licensure by requiring enrollment in graduate programs or other steps linking them to licensure boards, and would create some exceptions for narcotic treatment centers.

Mountain Comprehensive Care and other community mental health centers raised concerns at the administrative-regulations level that the proposed qualifications — which committee discussion described as additional college or graduate coursework in many cases — would create an access-to-care problem in rural communities where many frontline staff would not meet the new education requirements. Scott said the cabinet and agency staff worked with 13 CMHC divisions and multiple licensing boards and produced amended-after-comments drafts, but that the administrative-regulations subcommittee still found the proposals deficient and did not provide a specific written reason for the deficiency.

Committee members pressed for additional detail on the number of affected workers. Scott said outreach to CMHCs suggested the group impacted could be \"as high as about 1,600, 1,700,\" and noted testimony indicating Mountain Comprehensive Care alone reported 1,600 individuals in a related category while also reporting roughly 400 current MHAs (mental-health associates). Scott said exact counts are unclear because MHAs are not currently tracked by a licensing board.

Scott described steps the cabinet already proposed to ease the transition, including delaying the effective date (committee discussion referenced pushing effective dates to 2031), extended timeframes for people in certain programs, and longer transition windows for doctoral candidates. Committee members said they wanted more time for follow-up with providers and licensing boards and to review the amended drafts.

Following the discussion Chairwoman Mosher called for motions to defer both regulations. The committee voted by voice to defer 907 KAR 001:044 and to defer 907 KAR 015:005; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.

The committee chair said the Senate does not meet until early February and that the additional time would allow more outreach; she scheduled follow-up work before the committee takes further action.

","The Committee on Health Services voted to defer two proposed administrative regulations that would rename and change qualifications for mental health associates to behavioral health associates, citing concerns from providers about new education requirements and rural access.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6394751,"Committee reviews multiple health regulations; EMS reciprocity broadened and dental-hygienist supervision clarified",346,155000,501000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2102054-c568061d2cce3873164e588740361cbc&start=155&end=501","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2102054-c568061d2cce3873164e588740361cbc/thumbnail_155000.jpg","/articles/6394751/Kentucky/Committee-reviews-multiple-health-regulations-EMS-reciprocity-broadened-and-dental-hygienist-supervision-clarified","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6394751-5b10c77c2e52b329bdd9c5c693c70e51/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159686&Signature=XrJeqxbMFOIRqNdnsT4mkpz8aCThSe~ngtzm0sNKCoCQDG35W6~xWxKFt7YOONYIFdH59IMeEKjWwzba1hAnn5BHM8uNmJmHOpUSjpqd4SdhCaXkn8TDpTwJY7KaMBpSg~V-W5zgNw6a6X11cLZXNe-q2GNtwaMjYLlNMSGMsFjuztwRWsA2mQlGCeqxVQ38xLdckIq0EyXTTL9xOi4q~RsXJ0LJhFnqi~OLMGeRz0hzl4ybjLN~BKkWOqeC44LZp2zIcI7ciqMfV5Psc4rgTiV1vfAqzfBpcWk1is3VjxKmVSlo7uw6S2PX83IQDWjw95hSSrDEWOQUpSLLFA0bWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee on Health Services reviewed a set of administrative regulations and heard staff clarifications on several items, including emergency medical services reciprocity and dental-hygienist licensure.

Representative Callaway asked about a provision in a proposed EMS regulation (cited in committee as 202 KAR 007:330) that appeared to expand licensure reciprocity from contiguous states to any state. Eddie Sloan, executive director of the Kentucky Board of EMS, confirmed the proposed language would allow applicants in good standing from any state that uses the National Registry test to apply for Kentucky licensure in lieu of compact membership. Counsel John Wood said the change reflected a prior amendment to statute KRS 311A.142 that had removed the contiguous-states limitation.

Representative Callaway also asked about a dental regulation (identified in the summary as 008610) affecting dental-hygienist licensure and the supervision required for administering local anesthetic. Committee staff summarized the change as clarifying that dental hygienists administering local anesthetic must do so under the direct supervision of a dentist and that the amendatory language updated reinstatement fees and credential pathways (applicants can meet licensure by completing required clinical exams or U.S. credentialing). No agency representative appeared to provide additional detail on the dental regulation during the meeting.

The committee considered the remaining regulations reviewed by the Administrative Regulations Committee as \"considered reviewed\" with no further action, aside from the specific items the members raised for clarification and the separate deferrals of the behavioral-health regulations described elsewhere in committee business.

","During a wide review of administrative regulations, the Committee on Health Services heard clarifications that EMS reciprocity would apply to any state (not just contiguous states) and that dental-hygienist licensure language was clarified to require local-anesthetic administration under direct dentist supervision.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Kentucky Hospital Association says ATRIP raised payments and helped hospitals reduce readmissions, sepsis and opioid prescribing

Board of Interpreters debate recognition of EIPA for full licensure; committee hears oversight concerns

Committee on Health Services defers behavioral-health associate regulations after access concerns

Committee reviews multiple health regulations; EMS reciprocity broadened and dental-hygienist supervision clarified