Rep. Robin Shackleford

Specifies that an individual's incarceration, hospitalization, or other temporary cessation in substance or chemical use may not be used as a factor in determining the individual's eligibility for coverage in: (1) a state employee health care plan; (2) Medicaid; (3) the healthy Indiana plan; (4) a policy of accident and sickness insurance; or (5) a health maintenance health care contract. Requires an opioid treatment program to: (1) provide a patient of the facility appropriate referrals for continuing care before releasing the patient from care by the facility; and (2) counsel female patients concerning the effects of the program treatment if the female is or becomes pregnant and provide to the patient birth control if requested by the patient. Requires the division of mental health and addiction (division) to annually perform an audit of 20% of an opioid treatment program facility's patient plans to ensure compliance with federal and state laws and regulations. Requires the division to establish a mental health and addiction program to reduce the stigma of mental illness and addiction. Requires hospitals to establish emergency room treatment protocols concerning treatment of a patient who is overdosing, has been provided an overdose intervention drug, or is otherwise identified as having a substance use disorder.

Requires the division of family services to continue waiving copays for eligible families and reimburse eligible providers using funds allocated under the federal CRRSAA and CCDF until the federal pandemic emergency ends. Urges the legislative council to assign to the interim study committee on public health, behavioral health, and human services a study concerning matters related to child care in Indiana. Requires the committee to report to the legislative council by September 30, 2022.

Provides that the state health data center (center) shall maintain statistics concerning race and ethnicity, sex, primary language, and disability status. (Under current law, the center is required to maintain statistics concerning gender and ethnicity.) Requires the center to adopt and implement the data collection standards established by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Provides that a health care professional and a community health worker must complete two hours of cultural awareness and competence training every two years. Establishes certain requirements for the training. Provides that the state department of health may grant an exemption from the training requirements under certain circumstances.

Requires an opioid treatment program to obtain prior authorization from the division of mental health and addiction (division) for patients receiving more than 14 days of opioid treatment medication from an opioid treatment program unless otherwise prescribed by the division. Allows the state opioid treatment authority (authority) to: (1) take certain remedial actions; and (2) impose a civil penalty of up to $10,000; in response to certain violations concerning the operation of an opioid treatment program. Specifies that the authority may issue a civil penalty for each violation found by the authority. Requires the division to report certain findings to the general assembly not later than April 1 of each year. Requires certain information to be provided to the division for the purpose of completing specified reporting requirements.

Requires the state department of health to compile case and death data related to COVID-19 reported by health facilities and residential care facilities in a specified manner and publish the information on the state department's Internet web site. Requires the state department to update the data at least every seven days. Provides that the reporting and publishing requirements expire April 1, 2022.

Amends the definition of "health payer" to except some policies of accident and sickness insurance. Establishes requirements for the development and administration of the all payer claims data base. Establishes the all payer claims data base advisory board (advisory board) and sets forth membership requirements. Specifies the duties of: (1) the advisory board; and (2) the executive director who oversees the operation of the data base. Requires the establishment of a fee formula for data licensing and claims data collection and release.

Requires the state department of health (department), in consultation with the office of the secretary of family and social services, to study and prepare a plan (plan) to improve the health and behavioral health of Indiana residents based on specified criteria. Requires the department to submit and present the plan to the interim study committee on public health, behavioral health, and human services (interim study committee). Requires the department to prepare and present an annual report to the interim study committee regarding the progress made in meeting the metrics and goals of the plan. Requires that the department establish and maintain on the department's Internet web site a web page that indicates the performance and progress of the metrics and goals of the most significant areas identified in the plan. Establishes the prevention and addressing of health issues and challenges grant program (grant program). Establishes the prevention and addressing of health issues and challenges grant fund. Requires the department to administer the grant program. Provides requirements for grant proposals and specifies the types of proposals for which the grants must be awarded. Requires the management performance hub to develop and publish on an Internet web site a web page that tracks Indiana's metrics on the most significant areas of health and behavioral health impacting Indiana residents and demonstrate any progress made in these metrics. Provides that the web page must include specific progress reported by organizations awarded a grant under the grant program.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION recognizing Hoosier Direct Support Professionals.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION memorializing Vernon Jordan.

Prohibits the Medicaid program from specifying originating sites and distant sites for purposes of Medicaid reimbursement. Prohibits the use of telehealth to provide any abortion, including the writing or filling of a prescription for any purpose that is intended to result in an abortion. Changes the use of the term "telemedicine" to "telehealth". Specifies certain activities that are considered to be health care services for purposes of the telehealth laws. Expands the application of the telehealth statute to additional licensed practitioners instead of applying only to prescribers. Amends the definition of "prescriber" and "telehealth". Provides that a practitioner who directs an employee to perform a specified health service is held to the same standards of appropriate practice as those standards for health care services provided at an in-person setting. Requires that the telehealth medical records be created and maintained under the same standards of appropriate practice for medical records for patients in an in-person setting. Specifies that a patient waives confidentiality of medical information concerning individuals in the vicinity when the patient is using telehealth. Prohibits an employer from requiring a practitioner to provide a health care service through telehealth if the practitioner believes: (1) that health quality may be negatively impacted; or (2) the practitioner would be unable to provide the same standards of appropriate practice as those provided in an in-person setting. Provides that an applicable contract, employment agreement, or policy to provide telehealth services must explicitly provide that a practitioner may refuse at any time to provide health care services if in the practitioner's sole discretion the practitioner believes: (1) that health quality may be negatively impacted; or (2) the practitioner would be unable to provide the same standards of appropriate practice as those provided in an in-person setting. Amends requirements for a prescriber issuing a prescription to a patient via telehealth services. Requires that if a veterinarian is required to establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship to perform a health care service, the veterinarian shall ensure that a veterinarian-client-patient relationship is established. Repeals the law concerning telepsychology. Prohibits certain insurance policies and individual and group contracts from mandating the use of certain technology applications in the provision of telehealth services.