Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant

Commending Lisa Specter-Dunaway.

Balance billing; emergency services. Provides that when a covered person receives covered emergency services from an out-of-network health care provider, the covered person is not required to pay the out-of-network provider any amount other than the applicable cost-sharing requirement. The measure deletes a provision that allows an out-of-network provider to charge an individual for the balance of the provider's billed amount after applying the amount the health carrier is required to pay for such services. The measure also establishes a fourth standard for calculating the health carrier's required payment to the out-of-network provider of the emergency services, which standard is (i) the regional average for commercial payments for such service if the provider is a health care professional or (ii) the fair market value for such services if the provider is a facility. This fourth standard is the amount the health carrier is obligated to pay to the out-of-network provider if the amount is greater than any of the other three standards, which are (a) the amount negotiated with in-network providers for the emergency service or, if more than one amount is negotiated, the median of these amounts; (b) the amount for the emergency service calculated using the same method the health carrier generally uses to determine payments for out-of-network services, such as the usual, customary, and reasonable amount; or (c) the amount that would be paid under Medicare for the emergency service. The measure requires the health carrier to pay the required amount, less applicable cost-sharing requirements, directly to the out-of-network health care provider of the emergency services. If such provider determines that the amount to be paid by the health carrier does not comply with the applicable requirements, the measure requires the provider and the health carrier to make a good faith effort to reach a resolution on the appropriate amount of the reimbursement and, if a resolution is not reached, authorizes either party to request the State Corporation Commission to review the disputed reimbursement amount and determine if the amount complies with applicable requirements. The measure also provides that final diagnosis rendered to a covered person who receives emergency services for a medical condition shall not be considered in the health carrier's determination of whether the medical condition was an emergency medical condition. The measure establishes the procedure by which the regional average for commercial payments for emergency services will be calculated by the nonprofit data services organization that compiles the Virginia All-Payer Claims Database. The measure also requires health carriers to makes reports to the Bureau of Insurance and directs the Bureau to provide reports to certain committees of the General Assembly.

Constitutional amendment (first resolution);immunity of legislators. Limits the immunity of legislators byallowing the arrest of a member of the General Assembly during thesessions of the respective houses upon issuance of process for arrestby a judge with authorization of the attorney for the Commonwealthor the law-enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense.

Department of Education; pilot program; feasibility ofeducational placement transition of certain students with disabilities.Requires the Department of Education and relevant local school boards to developand implement a pilot program for up to four years in two to eight local schooldivisions in the Commonwealth. In developing the pilot, the Department isrequired to partner with the appropriate school board employees in each suchlocal school division to (i) identify the resources, services, and supportsrequired by each student who resides in each such local school division and whois educated in a private school setting pursuant to his IndividualizedEducation Program; (ii) study the feasibility of transitioning each suchstudent from his private school setting to an appropriate public school settingin the local school division and providing the identified resources, services,and supports in such public school setting; and (iii) recommend a process forredirecting federal, state, and local funds, including funds provided pursuantto the Children's Services Act, provided for the education of each such studentto the local school division for the purpose of providing the identifiedresources, services, and supports in the appropriate public school setting. Thebill requires the Department of Education to make a report to the Governor, theSenate Committees on Education and Health and Finance, and the House Committeeson Education and Appropriations on the findings of each pilot program after twoand four years.

Department of Education; student growth measurementsystem. Directs the Department of Education to obtain an individualizedstudent growth measurement system that tracks and analyzes studentgrowth indicators. The bill requires that the student growth measurementsystem be implemented during the 2022-2023 school year.

Commending William H. Goodwin, Jr.

Commending the Richmond Academy of Medicine.

Education and workforce development; Virginia Works Portal created; report. Creates the Virginia Works Portal to provide one-stop access to information regarding education pathways, career opportunities, and workforce development information available from agencies, institutions, and entities around the Commonwealth. The bill provides that the Portal provide an interactive, user-friendly environment and must be available to the public by July 1, 2021. The bill creates the Virginia Works Board chaired by the Governor's Chief Workforce Development Advisor to oversee the Portal and the Virginia Works Advisory Committee of public and private sector stakeholders to advise the Board. The Virginia Works Board is directed to report annually to the Joint Subcommittee on the Future Competitiveness of Virginia Higher Education and to the Governor and Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable Mary T.Christian.

Commending Mission BBQ.