Sen. Vaneta Becker

Provides (beginning January 1, 2024) that the office of Medicaid policy and planning may not require: (1) a provider that is licensed, certified, registered, or authorized with the appropriate state agency or board and exclusively offers telehealth services to maintain a physical address or site in Indiana to be eligible for enrollment as a Medicaid provider; or (2) a telehealth provider group with providers that are licensed, certified, registered, or authorized with the appropriate state agency or board to have an in-state service address to be eligible to enroll as a Medicaid vendor or Medicaid provider group.

Specifies the circumstances under which a person may be involuntarily committed to a facility for mental health services and specifies that these services are medically necessary when provided in accordance with generally accepted clinical care guidelines. Establishes a local mental health referral program to provide mental health treatment for certain persons who have been arrested. Repeals obsolete provisions and makes technical corrections.

Requires a pharmacy benefit manager to provide a report to the department of insurance at least every six months. Provides that the report must include the: (1) overall aggregate amount charged to a health plan for all pharmaceutical claims processed by the pharmacy benefit manager; and (2) overall aggregate amount paid to pharmacies for claims processed by the pharmacy benefit manager. Requires that, for individual health insurance coverage, the defined cost sharing for a prescription drug be calculated at the point of sale and based on a price that is reduced by an amount equal to at least 85% of all rebates in connection with the dispensing or administration of the prescription drug. Requires that, for group health insurance coverage, an insurer: (1) pass through to a plan sponsor 100% of all rebates concerning the dispensing or administration of prescription drugs to the covered individuals of the plan sponsor; (2) provide a plan sponsor, at the time of contracting, the option of calculating defined cost sharing for covered individuals of the plan sponsor at the point of sale based on a price that is reduced by some or all of the rebates received concerning the dispensing or administration of the prescription drug; and (3) disclose specified information to the plan sponsor. Allows the department of insurance to enforce the provisions and impose a civil penalty.

Allows a long acting reversible contraceptive that is prescribed to and obtained for a Medicaid recipient to be transferred to another Medicaid recipient if certain requirements are met.

Adds a prohibition against using a tracking device to the list of conditions a court may impose when issuing a protection order. Increases the penalty for stalking to a Level 5 felony if the offense is committed by means of a tracking device. Provides that a person who knowingly or intentionally places a tracking device on an individual or the individual's property without the individual's knowledge or consent commits unlawful surveillance, a Class A misdemeanor, unless certain exceptions apply, and increases the penalty to a Level 6 felony if the person is the subject of a protective order or has certain prior convictions. Establishes a sentence enhancement if a person uses a tracking device to commit or facilitate the commission of a crime.

Establishes licensing standards for rural emergency hospitals. Provides that certain personal information is confidential if a complaint is filed with the Indiana department of health (department). Allows the department to analyze information submitted by entities regulated by the department for quality improvement purposes. Adds rural emergency hospitals to the statute specifying that the licensure of a rural emergency hospital does not affect the statute pertaining to the placement and adoption of children. Repeals the provision concerning a provisional license for certain hospice programs. Provides that the definition of "home health services" includes community based palliative care. Establishes standards for housing with services establishments that offer memory care services. Changes references from "venereal disease" to "sexually transmitted infection". Allows a local health officer to issue a birth, death, or stillbirth certificate from the electronic registration system regardless of the location of the filing of the record. Removes the requirement that the department develop educational materials concerning prenatal and neonatal transmission of HIV. Removes the requirement that the department be notified if certain emergency responders request test results following a potential exposure to a serious communicable disease. Changes the date that the department submits a report concerning childhood lead poisoning. Removes the exemption to a vendor of a farmer's market or roadside stand from the requirements relating to food products that are not potentially hazardous. Amends the criteria for a safety pin program (program) grant proposal. Provides that if the department approves a program grant proposal, the department shall determine the initial award amount and the amount to be distributed once the grantee meets certain performance metrics. Provides a preference for awarding grants from the program to populations with demonstrable higher need. Provides that the center for deaf and hard of hearing education shall provide assistance to classroom instruction and professionals. Makes technical and conforming changes.

Exempts military pay for members of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States or the national guard from the individual income tax. (Current law provides an individual income tax exemption for members of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States or the national guard for the period the member is mobilized and deployed.) Exempts military pay earned by members of an active component of the armed forces of the United States from the individual income tax. (Current law exempts from the individual income tax the military pay earned by members of the National Guard and reserve components of the armed forces of the United States while serving on active duty.)

Requires the office of the secretary of family and social services to: (1) perform a comprehensive review of existing home health services for children with complex medical needs; (2) assess the home health services and policies for a person-centered approach; and (3) engage stakeholders in the assessment to solicit feedback on issues securing and maintaining home health services.

Sets the income eligibility requirements for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program at a specified percentage of the federal income poverty level. Requires the division of family resources (division) to amend the state TANF plan or take any other action necessary to implement the income requirements. Increases certain payment amounts nder the TANF program. Repeals provisions: (1) regarding TANF eligibility of a child born more than 10 months after the child's family qualifies for TANF assistance; (2) encouraging a family that receives TANF assistance to receive family planning counseling; and (3) requiring the division to apply a percentage reduction to the total needs of TANF applicants and recipients in computing TANF benefits. Provides that TANF assistance shall be provided to a woman who: (1) is pregnant at the time an application for assistance is filed; and (2) meets the income requirements. Requires the office of the secretary of family and social services to calculate and report to the legislative council, by December 1 of every even-numbered year, the amounts that would result if certain payment amounts were adjusted each year using the Social Security cost of living adjustment rate. Makes conforming changes.

Specifies that under the tort claims act, a governmental entity or employee acting within the scope of employment is not liable for loss resulting from injury to a person or property of a person who is: (1) under supervision of a governmental entity; and (2) subject to a court order requiring the person to be escorted by a county police officer while the person is on or in a government building owned by a county building authority. Provides exceptions to this immunity.