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Committee backs bill to prevent Medicaid from vetoing legislative scope-of-practice changes
Summary
The committee voted to send House Bill 110 to the floor. The bill would require Medicaid to cover services for newly authorized provider categories when the legislature extends scope of practice, though it does not obligate Medicaid to add new services overall.
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted to send House Bill 110 to the floor with a do-pass recommendation after the sponsor said the bill clarifies that the Legislature and professional licensing boards — not Medicaid rulemaking — determine the scope of practice for health providers.
Sponsor Sen. Seiderfeld said the bill addresses a recurring problem: when the Legislature authorizes a new provider type or expands tasks for an existing profession, Medicaid sometimes continues to interpret coverage narrowly and does not automatically reimburse the newly authorized provider. "This does not mean Medicaid has to cover new services," Seiderfeld said. "It just means Medicaid is no longer in the position of vetoing legislative decisions through inaction in their own rules or policies."
The bill requires providers to enter into written provider agreements with Medicaid and preserves the Legislature’s authority to exclude services from Medicaid coverage when appropriate. The Department of Health and Welfare reviewed the bill and reported no objection.
A committee motion to send House Bill 110 to the Senate floor with a do-pass recommendation was moved by Sen. Cindy Blaylock and seconded by Sen. Carl Bjerke. The committee approved the motion by voice vote.
