Direct the Legislative Research Commission to establish the Mental Health Alternative Community Response Model Task Force; establish task force membership; require the task force to study and make recommendations to identify programs, initiatives, and opportunities in the Commonwealth for alternative response services for communities related to mental health for Kentuckians and submit a report with recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission by December 1, 2026.
HB 721 amends Kentucky law to require a statewide prescreening and admissions review system for long-term-care facilities and certain hospital-based skilled-nursing beds. It directly affects residents seeking admission to these facilities, requiring them to meet a resource means test (sufficient funds for 365 days of care) and obtain preauthorization from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services before admission. Key provisions include mandatory preadmission screening teams, determinations about care needs and alternatives, and penalties (a Class B violation) for facilities admitting patients without prior authorization. The bill aims to prevent inappropriate placements and control costs by ensuring residents meet financial criteria and receive proper review before admission.
Amend KRS 156.502 to define "medication" and "sunscreen"; require local boards of education to adopt a policy authorizing students in kindergarten through grade 5 to carry and self administer sunscreen with parent permission and allow students in grades 6 to 12 to carry and self-administer sunscreen; require board policy to cover possession and use in various settings; amend KRS 194A.380 to define "sunscreen"; create a new section of KRS 194A.380 to 194A.383 to require youth camps to adopt a policy authorizing a child to carry and self-administer sunscreen.
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 311 to define terms; prohibit health care providers from accepting payment or reimbursement for gender transition services from a state or local government or Medicare; prohibit use of state or local government funds for the provision or subsidy of gender transition services; require licensing or certifying agencies to revoke a health care provider's license for a violation; direct that intentional violation by a public servant shall be a violation of KRS 522.030; amend KRS 15.241 to authorize the Attorney General to seek injunctive relief and penalties for a violation of gender transition services prohibitions; amend KRS 156.496 to prohibit family resource or youth services centers from providing or making referrals for gender transition services; amend KRS 39A.180 to prohibit suspension of gender transition services laws during an emergency; create new sections of Subtitle 17A of KRS Chapter 304, and KRS 205.6481 to 205.6495, and amend KRS 205.5365, 18A.225, 164.2871, and 304.17C-125, to prohibit publicly funded health plans, Medicaid, the Kentucky Children's Health Insurance Program (KCHIP), publicly funded limited health service benefit plans, the state employee health plan, and state postsecondary education institution self-insured health plans from providing payment or coverage for gender transition services; amend KRS 605.110 to direct that gender transition services are not authorized for a child committed to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice; state findings of the General Assembly relating to the purpose of the Act; apply certain provisions to health plans issued or renewed on or after the effective date of Act.
Amend KRS 218A.100 to place an abortion-inducing drug in Schedule IV; amend KRS 218A.1413 to include an abortion-inducing drug in the offense of trafficking in a controlled substance in the second degree; amend KRS 218A.1415 to include an abortion-inducing drug in the offense of possession of a controlled substance in the first degree, except when in the possession of a pregnant woman for her own personal use; create a new section of KRS Chapter 218A to establish the offense of importing an abortion-inducing drug amend KRS 216.302 to include providing any drug, medication, or other substance as a means of assisting another person to commit or attempt to commit suicide; increase the penalty from a Class D felony to a Class B felony when the act is done knowingly by force or duress and from a Class C to a Class B felony when a person knowingly or intentionally provides the physical means or participates in a physical act by which another person commits or attempts suicide; create a new section of KRS 216.300 to 216.308 to establish the offense of medically assisted aid in dying as a Class B felony; amend KRS 216.308 to provide for the revocation of a license upon a criminal conviction or plea of guilty of assisted suicide or medically assisted aid in dying; create a new section of KRS Chapter 411 to provide a civil cause of action for any person who sustains damages resulting from receiving an abortion-inducing drug; create a new section of KRS Chapter 216B to require the distribution of specified information to any patient who a physician or other healthcare provider believes is experiencing a complication as a result of taking an abortion-inducing drug; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to make specified information available on its website.
Create a new section of Subtitle 17A of KRS Chapter 304 to establish that any health benefit plan that provides coverage for hospital, medical, or surgical expenses shall include coverage for chronic pain treatments provided by a licensed professional; amend KRS 205.522 to require Medicaid and Medicaid managed care organizations to include coverage for chronic pain treatments provided by a licensed professional; amend KRS 218A.172 to require that a health care practitioner discuss and refer or prescribe alternative chronic pain treatments before initially prescribing or dispensing a controlled substance; provide that certain provisions apply to health benefit plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services or the Department for Medicaid Services to seek federal approval if they determine 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); EFFECTIVE January 1, 2027.
Amend various sections of KRS 216.701 to 216.709 to define terms; require health facilities to display a notice in a prominent location advising of possible consequences of threatening or aggressive behavior toward health care workers; require health facilities to notify health care workers of changes to policies, procedures, or the workplace safety plan based on a health facility's required annual review; require that any health facility procedure for incidents of workplace violence shall require certain notifications for the victim.
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 205 to require the Department for Medicaid Services and Medicaid managed care organizations to cover evaluation and management services; prohibit the department or managed care organizations from limiting coverage for evaluation and management services to fewer than 2 units per provider, per recipient, per date of service; require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services or the Department for Medicaid Services to seek federal approval if it is determined that such approval is necessary; provide authorization from the General Assembly to make changes in the Medicaid program as required under KRS 205.5372(1).
Amend KRS 304.17A-138 to make technical corrections; provide that health benefit plans may require a telehealth provider to be licensed in Kentucky, or as allowed under the standards and provisions of a recognized interstate compact, in order to receive reimbursement for telehealth services; provide a construction clause relating to coverage or reimbursement to out-of-network providers; require self-insured employer group health plans provided by the governing board of a state postsecondary education institution to comply with telehealth coverage requirements; provide that telehealth coverage requirements for state postsecondary education institutions apply to health benefit plans issued or renewed on or after effective date of Act.
Create a new section of Subtitle 17A of KRS Chapter 304 to require health benefit plans to provide coverage for prosthetic devices and orthotic devices when medically necessary for certain purposes; establish minimum requirements for the required coverage; prohibit any limitation or requirements with respect to out-of-network coverage unless the limitation or requirement is not more restrictive than the restrictions or requirements applicable to out-of-network coverage for medical or surgical benefits; require the commissioner of insurance to submit a report to the Legislative Research Commission regarding implementation of the required coverage; require insurers to provide data requested by the commissioner for purposes of completing the report; require the commissioner to promulgate any necessary administrative regulations; amend KRS 164.2871 and 18A.225 to require self-insured group health plans offered by the governing board of state postsecondary education institutions and the state employee health plan to comply with prosthetic and orthotic device coverage requirements; provide that the Act applies to health benefit plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027; EFFECTIVE, January 1, 2027.
