Health care services; explanation of benefits. Requireshealth carriers and Medicaid managed care organizations to provide anexplanation of benefits to covered persons or recipients. The measure requiresthe State Corporation Commission to adopt regulations that establishalternative methods of delivery of the explanation of benefits that permit thereceipt of an explanation of benefits by an alternative method, provided thatsuch alternative method is in compliance with the provisions of federalregulations regarding the right to request privacy protection for protectedhealth information. The measure requires health carriers and Medicaid managedcare organizations to take all reasonable actions to ensure that their internalprocesses and systems prohibit the identification or description of sensitivehealth care services in their explanations of benefits. The measure requires ahealth carrier that requires a covered person to make a request forconfidential communications in writing in accordance with federal law to acceptthe form of the explanation of benefits approved by the Commission. The measurealso requires the Commission to define "sensitive health careservices." The measure will take effect 90 days after the Commission hasadopted the required regulations. The measure is a recommendation of the JointCommission on Health Care.
Sponsored bills
Corporal Ryan C. McGhee Memorial Bridge. Designatesthe bridge on Guinea Station Road over Interstate 95 in SpotsylvaniaCounty the Corporal Ryan C. McGhee Memorial Bridge.
Specialty dockets; veterans docket. Providesthat any veterans docket authorized and established as a local specialtydocket in accordance with the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginiashall be deemed a "Veterans Treatment Court Program," as that termis used under federal law or by any other entity, for the purposesof applying for, qualifying for, or receiving any federal grants,other federal money, or money from any other entity designated toassist or fund such state programs. The bill contains an emergencyclause.
Holding handheld personal communications devices while driving a motor vehicle. Prohibits any person from holding a handheld personal communications device while driving a motor vehicle. Current law prohibits (i) the reading of any email or text message and manually entering letters or text in such a device as a means of communicating and (ii) holding a personal communications device while driving in a work zone. The bill expands the exemptions to include handheld personal communications devices that are being held and used (a) as an amateur radio or a citizens band radio or (b) for official Department of Transportation or traffic incident management services. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2021. This bill incorporates SB 136 and SB 944 and is identical to HB 874.
Medical assistants; administration of fluoride varnish. Allows an authorized agent of a doctor of medicine, osteopathic medicine, or dentistry to possess and administer topical fluoride varnish pursuant to an oral or written order or a standing protocol issued by a doctor of medicine, osteopathic medicine, or dentistry. This bill is identical to HB 299.
Public schools; kindergarten instructional time. Increases from 540 hours to 990 hours the minimum instructional hoursin a school year for students in kindergarten, beginning July 1,2022. The bill directs the Board of Education to adopt regulationsby July 1, 2022, establishing standards for accreditation that includea requirement that the standard school day for students in kindergartenaverage at least 5.5 instructional hours in order to qualify forfull accreditation.
Conduct of charitable gaming. Removes restrictions regarding (i) the number of calendar days that charitable gaming may be conducted, (ii) the number of bingo sessions that may be played in any calendar day and the number of bingo games that may be played during each session, and (iii) the locations at which games may be played.
Department of Education; Culturally Relevant and Inclusive Education Practices Advisory Committee; report. Requires the Department of Education to establish and appoint such members as it deems appropriate to a Culturally Relevant and Inclusive Education Practices Advisory Committee for the purpose of providing (i) standards recommendations to the Department of Education that shall be considered by the Board of Education during the 2021-2022 review of the history and social science Standards of Learning and (ii) recommendations on meaningful professional development with school personnel related to culturally relevant and inclusive education practices. The bill requires the Committee to report its recommendations to the Board of Education, the Governor, and the Chairs of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health no later than July 1, 2021. This bill is identical to HB 916.
Workers' compensation; presumption of compensability for certain diseases. Adds cancers of the colon, brain, or testes to the list of cancers that are presumed to be an occupational disease covered by the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act when firefighters or certain employees develop the cancer. The presumption shall not apply for any individual who was diagnosed with one of the conditions before July 1, 2020. The measure removes the compensability requirement that the employee who develops cancer had contact with a toxic substance encountered in the line of duty. The bill also reduces the number of years of service needed to qualify for the presumption from 12 to five for various types of cancer. For hypertension or heart disease, the bill adds a requirement that an individual complete five years of service in his position in order to qualify. This bill incorporates SB 58, SB 381, and SB 531 and is identical to HB 783.
School enrollment; students formerly in foster care. Provides for the immediate enrollment of any student who was in foster care upon reaching 18 years of age but who has not yet reached 22 years of age for whom the local department of social services or child-placing agency is unable to produce documents normally required for enrollment. Under current law, an exception to the requirement for such documentation is provided only to students currently in foster care.