Healthcare

SJR 23 declares Kentucky a "Food is Medicine" state to address chronic health conditions through nutrition. It directs state agencies to integrate nutrition into healthcare by supporting medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions for high-risk groups, and partnerships with farms and hospitals. The resolution specifically requires agencies to coordinate with the Kentucky Hospital Association and Department of Agriculture to expand local food-based health interventions. This policy change aims to reduce healthcare costs linked to diet-related chronic conditions, which affect 40.4% of Kentucky adults and cost over $29 billion annually.

Create a new section of Subtitle 17A of KRS Chapter 304 to require health benefit plans to cover at least 2 medically necessary epinephrine devices per covered person; limit a covered person's cost-sharing amount to $100 annually; amend KRS 304.17A-099 to exempt the epinephrine device coverage requirement from being suspended under state law due to the triggering of federal cost defrayment requirements; amend KRS 205.522, 205.6485, 164.2871, and 18A.225 to require Medicaid, KCHIP, self-insured employer group health plans offered by the governing board of a state postsecondary education institution, and the state employee health plan to comply with the epinephrine device coverage requirement; provide that various sections apply to health benefit plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027; require the Department of Insurance to determine whether the epinephrine devices coverage requirement would be in addition to essential health benefits required under federal law; require the Department of Insurance to obtain federal approval, if necessary; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services or the Department for Medicaid Services to obtain federal approval, if necessary; provide authorization from the General Assembly to make changes in the Medicaid program as required under KRS 205.5372(1); EFFECTIVE, in part, January 1, 2027.

Propose to create a new section of the Constitution of Kentucky to establish an individual right to reproductive freedom; allow the Commonwealth to regulate abortion after fetal viability, but not prohibit if medically needed to protect a pregnant patient's life or physical or mental health; forbid discrimination in enforcement of this right; prohibit prosecution of an individual, or a person helping a pregnant individual, for exercising the right to reproductive freedom; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 205 to define terms; require Medicaid-enrolled providers prescribing psychotropic drugs to children to provide an FDA Medication Guide to parents or legal guardians; require medical care providers prescribing psychotropic drugs to children covered by Medicaid to obtain signed informed consent from a parent or guardian; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to develop and maintain an adverse drug reaction online reporting system; require the cabinet to compile and submit an annual report of the adverse drug reaction online reporting system to the Legislative Research Commission; require the cabinet to submit an annual report summarizing the implementation efforts and compliance statistics of Medicaid-enrolled providers; establish penalties; require the cabinet to promulgate administrative regulations to implement the system.

Direct the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to withdraw the 1115(a) demonstration waiver application that was submitted on June 25, 2025, to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to implement a mandatory community engagement program; EMERGENCY

Amend KRS 61.702 and 78.5536 to provide full hospital and medical insurance benefits for a member, their spouse, and their dependents if the member becomes disabled in line of duty with a hazardous disability; EMERGENCY.

Amend KRS 164.0401 to add a speech-language pathology or audiology license to the definition of "eligible healthcare credential" for the purpose of the Kentucky healthcare workforce investment fund.

Amend KRS 342.0011, relating to workers' compensation, to expand the definition of "injury" to include psychological injuries for police officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, front-line staff members, or members of the National Guard; create a new section of KRS Chapter 342 to establish when psychological injuries are valid workers' compensation claims when not a direct result of a physical injury.

Amend KRS 205.522 and 205.6485 to require Medicaid and KCHIP to comply with pharmacy reimbursement requirements established in KRS 304.12-237; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services or the Department for Medicaid to seek federal approval if it is determined that such approval is necessary; provide authorization from the General Assembly to make changes to the Medicaid program as required under KRS 205.5372(1).

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 217 to define terms; permit health care practitioners to prescribe and dispense undesignated glucagon in the name of a school; permit authorized entities to receive, possess, and administer undesignated glucagon to a student during diabetic medical emergencies; permit schools to stock undesignated glucagon; provide for immunity from civil liability for any personal injury resulting from good-faith actions to use undesignated glucagon to treat diabetic medical emergencies; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to consult the American Diabetes Association when promulgating administrative regulations related to the administration of undesignated glucagon in schools.