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Committee stays rule on speech-language-pathology fellowships for 90 days amid statutory concerns
Summary
The committee placed a 90-day stay on a Department of Health rule updating accrediting information for speech-language pathology clinical fellows, citing related statutory and reimbursement issues that require further legislative discussion.
The joint Government Operations Committee voted to stay for 90 days a proposed rule from the Department of Health that would update accrediting information and extend the time clinical fellows have to complete a speech-language-pathology clinical fellowship while operating under a provisional license.
Olivia Johnson, legislative liaison for the Department of Health, explained the rule would align the boardaccreditation standards with the most recent standards of the referenced accrediting body and would allow clinical fellows more time to complete their clinical fellowship under provisional licensing. Johnson and advising board counsel Michael Varnell told the committee the accrediting bodystandards are being updated and the rule is designed to match them.
Senator Crow asked to stay the rule so the Department could consult with lawmakers pursuing statutory changes about temporary licensure and associated fees. Committee members raised questions about how the temporary licensure pathway interacts with Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement; department staff told the committee that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently indicated it would not reimburse under the ASHA pathway, and that addressing that outcome would require legislative change because the temporary licensure pathway is in statute.
The committee voted to stay the rule for 90 days to allow further coordination between the department, the board, and legislators considering statutory adjustments. Senator Crow moved to stay the rule and the Senate recorded six ayes on the stay; the House recorded an aye voice vote.
