Committee advances three insurance bills, including prior‑authorization 'gold‑card' measure

At its second meeting, the Kentucky House Standing Committee on Banking and Insurance approved three bills affecting private‑insurance prior authorization, insurance‑mandate definitions and motor‑vehicle insurance verification and heard discussion on a separate Medicaid reimbursement bill for pharmacists.

The committee adopted a committee substitute and then passed House Bill 423, which establishes a framework for insurer‑run prior‑authorization exemption programs (often called “gold‑carding”), clarifies that the program does not apply to Medicaid, and requires annual reporting by insurance regulators. Representative Kim Mosier, the bill sponsor, told the committee the measure “corrects a drafting oversight” and aims to reduce administrative barriers so providers can “focus on patient care and less on the bureaucratic barriers to care.” Corey Meadows of the Kentucky Medical Association said the bill is the “product of years of negotiation and compromise” and seeks to…