[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6336960,"mediaKeyId","2277437-0e3bcdd581287e7391463f9aabda1ec5","parentId",2277437,"title","Senate panel advances bill to cap Medicaid managed-care organizations at three","audioSeconds",981,"startMs",207000,"endMs",1188000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2277437-0e3bcdd581287e7391463f9aabda1ec5&start=207&end=1188","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2277437-0e3bcdd581287e7391463f9aabda1ec5/thumbnail_207000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6336960/Kentucky/Senate-panel-advances-bill-to-cap-Medicaid-managed-care-organizations-at-three","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6336960-fb4ad0b1176a38baf34cbe6d1270e8ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159074&Signature=cEa0zNhe90sPQ90xOEDJWR~ajlGYWkvTkDYPPfYpXRjdCglXtgeYAoEJz3e5VzoyW3hZXX5tEnQXscqIf2rbpUtGg0TMDE3rYYIvOcPWNmnWzMYp9HuGY90oP0ink0GtO62NcgjxhaCksmbD3n968HFS~yegtvDg~2JpPCQQ77AsOHdQmlNWsC6a-lCQnpjaE~ZX83lEkwNxHwnvtiAQqHzxPWmQTyxniHjp5WNWy8f4DaqGPFo05KRSEv2Mnn6Nq5Ln~oDZIR3C5CA-8laRFdaM-S5wVjGb-5fgeEMk1BjBlVVGqLlvMJP~mnJwmSkXFoFARbpjP1nkpBPtqJpMKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kentucky Legislature","date","2025-02-12T00:00:00Z","article","Sen. Steve Meredith, sponsor of Senate Bill 13 and senator for the Fifth District, told the Senate Standing Committee on Health Services that the bill would limit Kentucky’s Medicaid managed-care organizations to three and advance the measure to the full Senate. The committee voted to advance the bill favorably by voice vote; the clerk recorded the tally as 10 yes, 0 no.

Meredith said the measure aims to reduce what he described as heavy administrative overhead in U.S. health care and within Kentucky’s Medicaid program. “We’re spending 18% of our gross national product on health care,” Meredith said, and added that administrative costs are “about 30¢ of every dollar just on administration of health care.” He argued fewer MCOs would reduce redundant bureaucracy and administrative time for providers, particularly in rural communities, and could improve network adequacy and access to care.

The bill’s sponsor read examples of provider burdens during his presentation: he cited a provider who “sent a request for an independent review to appeal an audit finding…3 years later, we still do not have a solution. Had to hire an attorney.” Meredith said small rural providers lack the resources large systems use to manage multiple MCO appeals.

Supporters urged consolidation as a way to reduce administrative burden and free clinician time for patients. Meredith said that, with fewer MCOs, a primary-care physician who now spends “easily 2 hours” per day on Medicaid-related administration might reclaim time to see additional patients.

Members pressed for performance data and enforcement tools. Senator Burt asked whether the committee had comparative data on denial rates, turnaround time and network adequacy across MCOs; Meredith acknowledged there are contract performance measures but said enforcement of contract requirements is uneven. Senator Herron asked whether the change would directly affect individual patient care; Meredith said any effect would be indirect—by reducing administrative burden and improving access, not by changing clinical practice.

Meredith cited out-of-state comparisons and enrollment averages to support consolidation. He proposed three MCOs as a compromise between the federal minimum of two and Kentucky’s current number of five (after one insurer’s litigation). He and other members also raised rural access concerns: Meredith noted that about 40% of Kentucky’s population lives in rural areas while only an estimated 17% of primary-care physicians practice there.

The committee recorded the motion to advance the bill; the clerk recorded the final tally as 10-0 in favor. The bill will proceed to the Senate floor for further consideration.

Ending

Senate Bill 13 will be scheduled for the next stage of the legislative process; committee members asked staff and oversight bodies to gather additional enforcement and performance data on MCO contracts and network adequacy ahead of floor debate.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Standing Committee on Health Services (2-12-25)","oneSentenceSummary","Sen. Steve Meredith, sponsor of Senate Bill 13 and senator for the Fifth District, told the Senate Standing Committee on Health Services that the bill would limit Kentucky’s Medicaid managed-care organizations to three and advance the measure to the full Senate.","taxTitle","Health Services, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Kentucky","taxId",29203,"location","Kentucky","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6336951,"Senate committee hears bill to create Kentucky Parkinson’s disease registry; takes no vote",1262,1925000,3187000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2277437-0e3bcdd581287e7391463f9aabda1ec5&start=1925&end=3187","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2277437-0e3bcdd581287e7391463f9aabda1ec5/thumbnail_1925000.jpg","/articles/6336951/Kentucky/Senate-committee-hears-bill-to-create-Kentucky-Parkinsons-disease-registry-takes-no-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6336951-31398a3e41d356026af598811325b530/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159074&Signature=JsZyWHrgXK7c~32KfEeRHrOxUbqQJnMGPAjAsbBQkFv9KgORY8P5WRTWQRDDv-t8faeLCSkwDOKaoRnorwHkviziRjVDH00hWiQR~AOc0jST5e8i6l-fbZ~RnNxMfC29G6dSqypiJt0Nd4w2KQAHSbXjGWlTrlvMn0CX5updQkNoX4M6iYmAVEfIyeBHk2Z7jWHs7FNs37-12wK4YlGq93tVq3ag0U27HZmA-qx5tfUDCimYZFfLak2Ibmzo54rtoT9mUi9Igx2xvtEv9JjQhVd6MlDMu25P~kBd~axOBwkNEdlrIYoPwGoI8Tux4GE4CMqZf-zTuARf~Pu0ZIqAdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sen. Brandon Storm (21st District) introduced Senate Bill 27, a proposal to create a Kentucky Parkinson’s disease research registry to be overseen by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Storm said the registry would study incidence and prevalence, create an advisory committee of clinical and public-health experts, and require data collection and reporting beginning in 2026.

Storm noted the effort was supported by national partners and referenced a letter from the Michael J. Fox Foundation included in the committee packet. The letter’s figures were recited to the committee: about 1,000,000 Americans live with Parkinson’s disease, roughly 90,000 are diagnosed each year nationally, and national annual costs were cited at $52,000,000,000 with an estimate rising to about $80,000,000,000 by 2037. Storm told the committee that the foundation estimated more than 15,000 Kentuckians are currently diagnosed and that direct and indirect costs in Kentucky total about $725,000,000 per year.

The bill would establish an advisory committee including a neurologist/movement-disorder specialist, primary-care providers, a patient living with Parkinson’s, public-health professionals and researchers; the bill text instructs that committee to develop guidelines for approving researcher access to de-identified registry data. Enrollment would be by opt-out and personal identifying information would not be available for research purposes, Storm said.

A person who identified themself as a patient and advocate described receiving a Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2016 and emphasized limited access to neurologists and movement-disorder specialists in Eastern Kentucky. Senators asked how the registry would support research and whether universities (University of Kentucky, University of Louisville) had been consulted; Storm said those academic centers had been contacted and that registry data would provide a foundation for future research collaborations.

Committee members raised fiscal and implementation questions. A member suggested requesting a fiscal note; the chair said a preliminary informal estimate from the cabinet was roughly $800,000 per biennium but asked for a formal fiscal note. Members also discussed using existing infrastructure (stroke and cancer registries) and health information exchange tools to reduce administrative costs.

The committee did not take a vote on Senate Bill 27; members invited the presenters to return with additional fiscal detail and, if possible, representatives from academic centers and the cabinet to discuss implementation.

Ending

No action was taken on Senate Bill 27 at this hearing. The committee requested a fiscal estimate and asked sponsors to return with additional implementation details and potential academic partners.","Senate Bill 27, presented by Sen. Brandon Storm, would create a Parkinson’s disease research registry overseen by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Lawmakers discussed scope, privacy protections and fiscal needs; the committee did not vote and asked for a fiscal estimate and follow-up.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6336955,"Senate committee asks Medicaid to study pharmacist payment parity under SJR 26",575,1239000,1814000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2277437-0e3bcdd581287e7391463f9aabda1ec5&start=1239&end=1814","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2277437-0e3bcdd581287e7391463f9aabda1ec5/thumbnail_1239000.jpg","/articles/6336955/Kentucky/Senate-committee-asks-Medicaid-to-study-pharmacist-payment-parity-under-SJR-26","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6336955-2e609f0a9c59bad479b79628d89d5493/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159074&Signature=UTFSZCV3sNoK-CR5KbAo325thXSmjHCyyl~GQCiZ5NjkXqrLEKdw59RUVMKD0CWXzJrX5sQrzQ6WOvntWyEWHwdzmzBdXBUKJ49~Id8Rw~UqST9pVjX-0av48miqW4p3NveQhEnOAdEmUJf5s4fDukUTi3zjumt9177A4UwNxIpVUIWmPcYMLZUicfwTYczd8YZy8owIrOCdhCxIjQDlCUtLnvr9Er7sa2f8bQoEQvpXR4q~y8zNe52vSYOemhHaFpbBuJApa0BcJ2OKTIEsNt11XJCyih55l1XEwx0ZTSZucfu1hor1Qu1vhoNmrLDrBtgNCprfGeL0F2lEpo0Mrg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sen. Craig Richardson, sponsor of Senate Joint Resolution 26, and Ben Mudd of the Kentucky Pharmacists Association told the Senate Standing Committee on Health Services that the resolution asks the Department for Medicaid Services to prepare data and a cost analysis on providing Medicaid and KCHIP reimbursement parity to pharmacists for clinical services already in their scope of practice.

“Pharmacists are integral to our health-care system,” Ben Mudd told the committee, saying the resolution does not expand pharmacists’ scope of practice but seeks data to inform future legislation on “payment parity or fair payment to pharmacists.” Mudd cited services such as medication therapy management, chronic disease management and point-of-care testing (for example, strep tests) as existing services that could be reimbursed under Medicaid if parity were enacted.

Committee members pressed for outcome and access data. Senator Douglas asked whether there are study results showing that expanded pharmacy services increased access or improved outcomes; Mudd said the board of pharmacy tracks protocol usage but that much of current pharmacist-provided testing has been delivered on a cash basis because pharmacies cannot bill Medicaid for those services.

Senators noted the need for a careful cost analysis: Mudd said he did not expect a large increase in Medicaid program costs but acknowledged administrative set-up costs could exist. The resolution directs the Department for Medicaid Services to provide data during the interim (the sponsors referenced an August 1 target in testimony) so the General Assembly can review potential fiscal and program impacts before drafting implementing legislation.

The committee approved SJR 26 by recorded voice vote; the clerk recorded the tally as 11 yes, 0 no.

Ending

Committee members asked that the data collection include information about who is currently using pharmacist protocols, encounter counts if available, and an analysis of whether services have improved access or outcomes for Medicaid enrollees. The committee will review the department’s report during the interim.","The committee passed Senate Joint Resolution 26 directing the Department for Medicaid Services to provide interim data and cost estimates on paying pharmacists for clinical services under Medicaid and KCHIP so lawmakers can assess access and fiscal impact.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate panel advances bill to cap Medicaid managed-care organizations at three

Senate committee hears bill to create Kentucky Parkinson’s disease registry; takes no vote

Senate committee asks Medicaid to study pharmacist payment parity under SJR 26