HB 70 – Delay NC Health Connex for Certain Providers

Primary Sponsors: Rep. Greg Murphy (R-Pitt), Rep. Josh Dobson (R-Avery), Rep. Donna White (R-Johnston), Rep. Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth)

Bill Summary

This bill would exempt the following providers from submitting clinical data to NC Health Connex until June 1, 2021:

  • Psychiatrists
  • Licensed psychologists
  • Licensed psychological associates
  • Licensed professional counselors
  • Substance abuse professionals
  • Licensed clinical social workers
  • Licensed clinical social worker associates
  • Fee based pastoral counselors
  • Licensed marriage and family therapists
  • Providers of services for patients with intellectual or developmental disabilities
  • Adult care homes
  • Home care agencies
  • Home health agencies

New Bill Language Proposal

A proposed committee substitute was introduced in the House Health Committee on March 12, 2019.

This new version of the bill exempts physicians whose primary practice area is psychiatry from mandatory connection to the HIE until June 20, 2021.

The new version of the bill also pushes the connectivity timeline for some state managed facilities until the following fiscal year.

The bill also pushed back the timeline to grant limited extensions to 2021.

 

Bill Movement

House

This bill was file on February 13, 2019. This bill was referred to the House Health Committee. If found favorable there, it will move to the House Rules Committee.

This bill passed the House Health Committee on March 12, 2019.

This bill passed the House Rules Committee on March 18, 2019.

This bill passed the House floor on March 27, 2019.

Senate

This bill was referred to the following Senate Committees:

  • Health
    • A proposed committee substitute was heard for discussion only on May 22, 2019.
    • This proposed committee substitute limited the provider list that would be exempted from NC Health Connex connection.
    • The bill was heard for a vote on May 23, 2019. Sen. Hise introduced an amendment to allow the DHHS Secretary to have the authority to grant exemptions to classes of providers of Medicaid and other state funded health services. The amendment and the bill passed. The bill will now move to the Senate Rules Committee.
  • Rules
    • This bill was scheduled to be heard in Senate Rules at 11:00am on May  28, 2019, but was pulled from the calendar.
    • This bill passed at 5:00pm on May 28, 2018.
  • This bill will now move to the Senate floor.
  • This bill passed in the Senate with a vote of 47-0 on May 30, 2019.
  • This bill was sent back to the House for concurrence and passed with a vote of 110-0.

Governor

  • The bill was sent to the Governor on June 4, 2019.
  • This bill was signed by the Governor on June 6, 2019.
  • This bill is now law.