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Virginia General Assembly 2024 Re-Cap
The 2024 Virginia General Assembly Session came to a close on March 9th. It was a busy session with over 3,500 bills introduced and consideration of a new two-year budget for the Commonwealth. Bills that passed both the House and Senate now go to Governor Youngkin for his review. He can sign or veto bills, seek amendments, or let a bill become law without his signature. He has until April 8th to take action. The General Assembly will reconvene on April 17 for a “veto session” to consider the Governor’s actions. Legislators must have a two-thirds majority to override his decisions.
VBCF was very active during the 2024 Session, meeting with legislators, working in coalitions with like-minded organizations, testifying at committees, and showing up in force with over 25 volunteer advocates during our 2024 State Breast Cancer Advocacy Day. Read on for a review of where VBCF’s key priorities landed as well as the outcomes for several other pieces of legislation that we were following closely.
VBCF Priority Legislation
HB230: Eliminate out-of-pocket costs for follow-up breast imaging like diagnostic mammography, ultrasound, and MRIs
Outcome: Sent to the Health Insurance Reform Commission (HIRC) for review
In Virginia, all bills related to changes in health insurance must go through the HIRC review process. The good news is that the HIRC has already reviewed a previous version of HB230 and determined that it does not constitute a “new mandate” for health insurance companies since they already offer coverage for these services. Therefore, we believe that the HIRC will be able to take swift action and send the bill back to the General Assembly for the 2025 session to be voted on outright. VBCF will work this spring and summer to educate HIRC members (not appointed yet) about the importance of this bill. Stay tuned for information on how you can help!
HB946/SB376: Options for Managing Out-Of Pocket Costs for Prescription Drugs
Outcome: Sent to the Health Insurance Reform Commission (HIRC) for review
These bills require health insurers to ensure that at least 50% of their plans offer patients the choice to select a capped, flat-dollar, co-pay only plan for prescription drugs at every level of coverage they offer. VBCF supports these bills (which are identical) because we know that breast cancer patients need predictable, affordable access to necessary medications. The bills have also been sent to HIRC and we hope for a smooth review. Since health insurance companies already cover prescription drugs, these bills are not a new state mandate. Instead, they simply offer additional options of how they cover prescription drugs (giving patients the option to pick a co-pay only plan). VBCF is a member of the Fair Healthcare VA coalition, a group of 13 patient, provider, and health advocacy groups working to pass these bills and will continue to support these bills through the HIRC process.
Other Legislation of Interest
SB373: Paid Family and Medical Leave
Outcome: Sent to the Governor’s desk
This legislation would allow workers to receive up to 80% of their pay for up to 8 weeks (amended from the original 12 weeks) if they need to stay home for family reasons or because of their own serious health condition. It would require Virginia to set up a new Family and Medical Leave Insurance Trust Fund, with the money to come from employer contributions and payroll deductions used to finance claims (like the state unemployment benefits are financed.) VBCF applauds the advancement of this bill that would help patients facing breast cancer take the time off they need for treatment and recovery.
Medical Debt Protections
Research shows that nearly 7 in 10 US adults say they receive medical bills they cannot pay and 55% of Virginians have experienced at least one healthcare affordability burden in the past year. VBCF supported the following bills to help protect patients from being trapped by medical debt and hopes the Governor will sign them soon.
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HB1370 - Prohibits medical debt from being reported to consumer reporting agencies. Medical bills can weigh down credit scores which are looked at for a range of things like renting an apartment, getting a mortgage or auto loan, or buying a cellphone. While the bill would not erase the debt someone owes, it would prevent that debt from appearing on their credit score.
Outcome: Sent to Governor’s desk
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HB34 - Prevents medical debt collection if the process has not begun within three years of the due date noted on the final invoice for a health care service. This helps prevent patients from having medical debt linger for many years.
Outcome: Sent to Governor’s desk
SB98: Prior Authorization
Outcome: Sent to the Governor’s desk
Prior authorization is a utilization management process that requires physicians to obtain approval from insurance companies before prescribing a specific medication or delivering certain types of care. This bill ensures that insurance companies cannot revoke a prior authorization within the currently established timeframe without due cause and “due cause” is defined in the bill. This proposal is particularly helpful for patients using expensive drugs for life-saving treatments by limiting the ability of insurance companies to ask for new authorizations.
Item 279 #19h: Budget Amendment for the Cancer Coalition of Virginia (CACV)
Outcome: Not included in the budget
This budget item would have provided funding for the Cancer Coalition of Virginia (CACV) to implement the Virginia Cancer Plan to reduce the burden of cancer in Virginia through prevention, early detection, effective treatment, and ensuring quality of life. VBCF is a member of CACV and helps coordinate its breast cancer task force.
SB280- Death with Dignity
Outcome: Did not pass
This bill would allow an adult diagnosed with a terminal disease to request an attending health care provider to prescribe a self-administered controlled substance for the purpose of ending the patient's life. Supporters of the bill emphasize that legislation like this would extend compassion to people who are dying by giving them control over how their life ends.
If you have any questions about these bills, please contact kirsta@vbcf.org
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