Healthcare

Medical cannabis program; product labels; delivery. Changes the requirements for what is included on medical cannabis product labels affixed by pharmaceutical processors to include (i) the total milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) included in the edible cannabis product or topical cannabis product, both defined in the bill; (ii) the number of milligrams of THC and CBD in each serving of the edible cannabis product or topical cannabis product; and (iii) the total percentage of THC and CBD included in the inhalable cannabis product, defined in the bill. Under current law, the product label of any medical cannabis product is required to include the total percentage and milligrams of THC and CBD included in the product and the number of milligrams of THC and CBD in each serving.The bill also allows a pharmaceutical processor or cannabis dispensing facility to dispense or deliver cannabis products in person to a patient or such patient's registered agent, parent, or legal guardian at any residence, including a temporary residence or business. However, the bill prohibits dispensing or delivering cannabis products to (a) any military base, child day center, school, or correctional facility; (b) the State Capitol; or (c) any public gathering places, including sporting events, festivals, fairs, races, concerts, and terminals of public transportation companies. The bill also specifies that all transportation or delivery of usable cannabis, botanical cannabis, cannabis oil, or cannabis products, whether by an employee or delivery agent, shall comply with all relevant laws and regulations and provides that the Board of Directors of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority may suspend or revoke the privileges of any employee or delivery agent to transport or deliver such products for failure to comply. The bill also provides that the 12-month stability testing period for medical cannabis products begins on the date the cannabis product is tested, rather than the date of product registration approval and that any medical cannabis product with an expiration date exceeding 12 months shall be supported by stability testing measured from the testing date, rather than the date of product registration approval. The bill contains technical amendments.

Temporary detention; certified evaluators; sunset extended. Extends from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2027, the sunset date on the current provisions of law authorizing hospitals with a psychiatric emergency department located in the City of Hampton to employ certain trained individuals to perform evaluations to determine whether a person meets the criteria for temporary detention for behavioral health treatment. The current law also requires participating hospitals with psychiatric emergency departments in the City of Hampton to submit monthly and annual reports on temporary detentions and crisis evaluations. This bill is identical to HB 1292.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; sickle cell disease; feasibility of Medicaid benefit and Medicaid Health Homes; report. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to determine the feasibility of participating in an optional Medicaid benefit for sickle cell disease and establishing Medicaid Health Homes to coordinate care and provide treatment for individuals with sickle cell disease. The bill requires the Department to report its findings in its annual review of sickle cell disease treatment and submit such review to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the Joint Commission on Health Care by November 15, 2026.

Health insurance; carrier contracts; required provisions regarding prior authorization for prescription drugs. Amends existing required provisions for health carrier contracts related to prior authorizations for prescription drugs. Current law requires that if prior authorization is approved for prescription drugs and such prescription drugs have been scheduled, provided, or delivered to the patient consistent with the authorization, health carriers may not revoke, limit, condition, modify, or restrict that authorization except in certain circumstances. The bill requires this limitation on carriers to apply for the duration of the authorization, which the bill requires to be a minimum of six months for initial authorizations and a minimum of 12 months for continued authorizations. The bill adds circumstances under which a prior authorization may be revoked, limited, conditioned, modified, or restricted by a carrier, including (i) a final action by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, other regulatory agencies, or the manufacturer communicating a patient efficacy issue that would affect the authorization and (ii) when additional safety and efficacy monitoring is clinically appropriate or recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, other regulatory agencies, or the manufacturer.

Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority; administration of nursing scholarships. Grants the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority the authority to administer scholarships related to nursing and to promulgate regulations exempt from the requirements of the Administrative Process Act as may be necessary to carry out the administration of nursing scholarship and loan programs. Under current law, the Board of Health is the administrative authority for such scholarships and the Commissioner of Health serves as the fiscal agent for the Board in the administration of some scholarship funds. The bill directs the Authority to establish an annual reporting schedule requiring submission of health workforce data, requires the Authority to establish and provide oversight and strategic guidance to the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center, and grants the Authority the authority to evaluate health workforce programs administered or supported by the Commonwealth. The bill directs the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center to establish an advisory board to provide it with strategic oversight and guidance. This bill is identical to SB 405.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; enhanced oversight of services facilitators. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to enhance oversight of Medicaid services facilitation for consumer directed services, including incorporation of such services into the statewide Fiscal Employer Agent contract and development of a contract monitoring and oversight plan.

Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); fundamental right to reproductive freedom. Provides for a referendum at the November 3, 2026, election to approve or reject an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia relating to the right to make one's own decisions related to reproductive health care, including access to abortion. The amendment protects patients and their doctors and nurses from being punished for making such decisions. The amendment allows the state to place restrictions on access to abortion during the third trimester of pregnancy except when the patient's life or physical or mental health is at risk or the pregnancy cannot survive. This bill is identical to HB 781.

Emergency Response Exposure Grant Fund and Program. Creates the Emergency Response Exposure Grant Fund and Program, to be administered by the Department of Fire Programs, to award grants to localities to support certain emergency responders who were exposed to a qualifying emergency, defined in the bill. The bill requires funding to be used for annual cancer screenings and health care expenses incurred by eligible emergency responders, defined in the bill, in the event such emergency responders are diagnosed with cancer from toxic material exposure. The bill permits funding to be used for out-of-pocket medical expenses not otherwise covered by insurance, workers' compensation, or other available funding.

Health insurance; requirements for certain opioid antagonists. Requires each health insurer, corporation providing health care subscription plans, and health maintenance organization whose policy, contract, or plan includes coverage for prescription drugs to include coverage for at least one opioid antagonist used for overdose reversal dispensed pursuant to an oral, written, or standing order of a prescriber and ensure that cost-sharing for at least one opioid antagonist used for overdose reversal is included on the lowest cost tier of the insurer's, corporation's, or health maintenance organization's prescription drug formulary. The bill provides that such coverage shall be exempt from any prior authorization or step therapy requirement on coverage of benefits. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care. This bill is identical to HB 795.

Board of Medicine; breast implant educational materials; work group. Directs the Board of Medicine to convene a work group to create educational materials for patients considering breast implants and distribute such materials to its licensees by January 1, 2027.