This legislative resolution directs the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee to conduct an interim study on barriers preventing the adoption of multiple employer insurance plans in Nebraska. Multiple employer insurance plans allow small businesses to pool their risks and purchase health insurance together, which could lower costs and improve coverage options for employees. The study will examine current state and federal laws and regulations that may hinder the implementation of these plans. The committee is required to submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislative Council or the full Legislature once the study is complete.
This legislative resolution directs the Nebraska Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee to conduct an interim study on insurance coverage, Medicaid policies, and reimbursement structures related to nonopioid treatment options for opioid use and pain management. The study will examine barriers to accessing nonopioid therapies, analyze disparities in opioid-related outcomes across different populations, and explore ways to expand access to nonopioid pain treatments and substance use disorder services. The committee will submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Legislature, which may inform future policy changes to improve equitable access to care and reduce reliance on opioid medications in Nebraska.
Nebraska's LB 780 requires all health insurance plans sold in the state to cover eating disorder treatment starting January 1, 2027. This includes medical, psychological, pharmaceutical care, nutritional counseling, and all treatment levels (inpatient to intensive outpatient), without denying coverage based on body weight, BMI, or prior treatment history. The bill prohibits insurers from applying stricter limits to eating disorder benefits than those for medical/surgical care and mandates that treatment reviews be conducted by specialists in eating disorders. It directly affects insurance providers operating in Nebraska and individuals seeking eating disorder treatment covered under these plans.
LB 1157 requires health insurers, their contracted vendors, and care management organizations to accept payment methods other than credit cards for healthcare provider payments starting January 1, 2027. The bill directly affects healthcare providers who receive payments from these entities, ensuring they are not forced to accept only credit card transactions. It prohibits payment systems from restricting providers to credit cards as the sole acceptable method for reimbursement. This change aims to provide more payment flexibility for healthcare providers while maintaining existing reimbursement standards.
LB 762 requires most health insurance policies in Nebraska to cover treatment for two specific pediatric conditions: pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infection (PANDAS) and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS). It mandates coverage for recommended treatments like antibiotics, medication, behavioral therapy, plasma exchange, and immunoglobulin, directly affecting families of children diagnosed with these conditions and insurers offering health coverage in the state. Insurers must report coverage denials for these treatments annually to the Department of Insurance, which will publish a public report starting in 2028. The bill aims to ensure access to medically necessary care for affected children without insurer denials.
LB 805 requires most health insurance plans in Nebraska to cover cranial helmets for infants under one year old with specific conditions, including deformational plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome) or craniosynostosis (premature skull fusion). The bill applies to individual/group health policies, hospital/surgical plans, and self-funded employer plans (unless federal law preempts it), excluding short-term major medical plans and limited-benefit policies. Insurance companies must cover these helmets as prescribed by a doctor, ensuring families don't face out-of-pocket costs for this treatment. This directly affects infants with these conditions and their health insurers across the state.
LB 971 requires most health insurance plans in Nebraska to cover prescribed asthma inhalers without cost-sharing. It directly affects people with asthma who have health insurance, mandating coverage for one rescue inhaler and one maintenance inhaler per year when prescribed by a doctor. The bill prohibits deductibles, copays, or coinsurance for these specific inhalers, though high-deductible plans may still apply annual deductibles if needed to maintain health savings account eligibility. This policy change ensures immediate access to essential asthma medications without out-of-pocket costs for covered individuals.
LB 731, the Gender Transition Malpractice Accountability Act, extends the time period for filing malpractice lawsuits related to gender-altering procedures, allowing individuals more time to seek legal action if harm is discovered later in life. It requires insurance companies to cover certain medical treatments and procedures that arise from gender-altering procedures, such as complications from surgeries or hormone therapies. The bill also modifies civil action rules under the Let Them Grow Act and excludes medical services for disorders of sex development or acute treatments for infections or injuries caused by the procedure.
This bill requires all health insurance policies and Medicaid in Nebraska to cover medically necessary treatments for acquired brain injuries (like those from stroke, trauma, or tumors) and specific Alzheimer's disease testing/treatments that slow progression. It mandates coverage for defined therapies including cognitive rehabilitation, neurobehavioral therapy, and community reintegration services without lifetime or annual limits that conflict with medical standards. Insurers must provide an expedited appeal process for denied coverage, resolved within five business days, with ongoing treatment continuing during appeals. The law directly affects insurers, Medicaid, and patients with qualifying brain injuries or Alzheimer's, ensuring access to critical care without arbitrary financial barriers.
Nebraska's LB 931 creates a refundable state income tax credit for residents who purchase health insurance through the federal Marketplace. It directly affects low-to-moderate-income Nebraskans with federal adjusted gross income of $29,000 or less who qualify for the federal premium tax credit. The credit equals 100% of the federal credit for incomes up to $22,000, decreasing by 10% for each $1,000 over that threshold (e.g., 90% for $23,000). This credit is refundable, meaning eligible residents receive cash payments even if their state tax liability is zero.
