Senate subcommittee advances multiple health-related bills; several moved to budget or tabled

A Senate Education and Health subcommittee in Richmond handled a package of health-related bills on the docket, recommending several for further consideration, approving amendments to others and tabling a handful for additional study.

The panel recommended reporting bills that would direct the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) to select a single pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) administrator for the state Medicaid program (SB 875), create an advisory council for breakthrough therapies aimed at veteran suicide prevention (SB 1101), and require reporting or program design work for certified community health workers (SB 980 and SB 981). Lawmakers also amended and reported legislation on recovery residences (SB 838) and restored prior-year language for donor human milk coverage (SB 1186). Several other bills drew fiscal concerns and were passed by indefinite (PBI) — effectively tabled — including a supplemental Medicaid transportation payment measure (SB 1451), an initiative to expand a TANF-funded education-work incentive (SB 1273) and a bill changing hour limits for consumer-directed services (SB 1480).

Why it matters: The bills affect Medicaid program design, access to pharmacy services in underserved “pharmacy desert” areas, support for community health workers and reimbursement or reporting requirements that shape how state agencies seek federal approval and spend state or TANF funds. Several measures include budget amendments or uncertain fiscal impacts that will be resolved in the upcoming budget process or require federal signoff.

Key actions and context

SB 875 — single PBM for DMAS: The committee discussed an amendment that would allow DMAS to negotiate additional savings and provide for affordable dispensing fees under a state-run PBM, and a second amendment striking a conflict-of-interest provision in the bill. The committee recorded the bill as coming from the Education and Health Committee with a prior committee vote of 14 yes, 1 abstain and noted a fiscal note showing a potential cost up to $51,100,000 and potential savings up to $35,000,000. The…