House Human Services panel reports bill to let Medicaid pay for tele-behavioral health outside clinic walls

The House Human Services Committee on an affirmative voice vote reported House Bill 1590, a measure to amend the Human Services Code to remove state regulatory requirements that limit payment for clinical services to the physical confines of clinical facilities, clearing the way for expanded tele-behavioral health services.

The bill, summarized to the committee as an amendment to the act of June 13, 1967, known as the Human Services Code, would abrogate certain state rules so Pennsylvania can implement new federal flexibilities to pay for behavioral-health care provided via telehealth.

Chairman Williams, chair of the House Human Services Committee, introduced the bill and asked for the committee’s consideration. Ashley, who read the bill summary for committee staff, described the measure as “an act amending the act of 06/13/1967, known as the Human Services Code in public assistance, providing for abrogation of regulatory requirements for payment for clinical services within physical confines of clinical facilities.”

Chairman Heffley, the bill’s co-prime sponsor, described the measure as intended to address what he called the “4 walls” issue and to “roll back some of the state regulations and allow, for the state plan to be adopted so that we can, really increase that access to behavioral health services.” He asked members for an affirmative vote.

There was no further discussion and the chair announced there were no negative votes; the committee reported the bill. The committee did not record a roll-call vote in the transcript and no amendments were adopted during the session.

The measure will now proceed from committee for further consideration by the full House or the next legislative step required by House rules.