Legislative Update: Week 4

Today wrapped up week 4 of the 2024 legislative session and it was a busy week for lawmakers as the deadline to file bills was on Wednesday. This year 526 pieces of legislation have been filed, with SDAHO tracking 87 of those.

There are a few I’d like to lift up as wins for the healthcare industry, the first is SB 147, which will provide for the distribution of information materials regarding palliative care. This was an issue discussed during the summer committee on Sustainable Models for Long Term Care. Michele Snyders, SDAHO’s Hospice & Palliative Care Program Manager was influential in assisting with the language in the bill and testifying before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, where it passed unanimously. The measure then passed the Full Senate unanimously. Senator Jean Hunhoff is the main sponsor of the bill. To listen to the testimony delivered by Sen. Jean Hunhoff and Michele Snyders, click here.

We continue to see movement with other bills that came from the Sustainable Models for Long Term Care Summer study, including HB 1014 which will amend the criteria for designation as a regional nursing facility and applicable reimbursement. It was unanimously sent to appropriations for further discussions. Also referred to appropriations, HB 1016 which will conduct a feasibility study on the Medicaid program of all-inclusive care for the elderly, known as the PACE program. We also saw favorable support for SB 136, which expands the scope of a physician wellness program. It passed both the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and the full senate this week. Its next stop is House Health.

Each week SDAHO’s President/CEO, Tim Rave provides a short Podcast on the legislative session.

To hear the SDAHO Legislative Podcast from Week 5, click here.

To take a closer look at all of the measures SDAHO is tracking visit the Bill Tracker here.