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Tags Posts tagged with "Legislation"

Legislation

HB 1995, which would require the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) to go through the regulatory review process any time it makes changes that would affect licensed drug and alcohol treatment providers, today passed the House of Representatives and heads to the Senate for concurrence. The next scheduled Senate session days are December 13–15.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Carrie Lewis-DelRosso, specifically outlines the following instances in which DDAP would be required to promulgate regulations:

  • The implementation of new or additional licensing requirements for drug and alcohol facilities;
  • The implementation of new or additional drug and alcohol staff credentialing requirements;
  • The implementation of new or additional drug and alcohol counselor staffing ratios; and
  • The implementation of new or major programmatic changes and requirements imposed on drug and alcohol facilities, including the requirement of adding programs that significantly increase the cost of delivering care and meeting staffing requirements.

The legislation includes any proposed regulatory requirement not currently in effect or any regulatory requirement that the General Assembly has delayed through legislation.

Contact Jason Snyder, Director of Drug and Alcohol Division, with any questions.

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Rep. Carrie Lewis DelRosso introduced legislation yesterday that would require the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs to promulgate regulations in any of the following instances that affect licensed drug and alcohol treatment providers:

  • The implementation of new or additional licensing requirements for drug and alcohol facilities;
  • The implementation of new or additional drug and alcohol staff credentialing requirements;
  • The implementation of new or additional drug and alcohol counselor staffing ratios; and
  • The implementation of new or major programmatic changes and requirements imposed on drug and alcohol facilities, including the requirement of adding programs that significantly increase the cost of delivering care and meeting staffing requirements.

The legislation includes any proposed regulatory requirement not currently in effect or any regulatory requirement that the General Assembly has delayed through legislation, meaning the PA-specific requirements of the ASAM transition could not be implemented until approved through a regulatory review process.

The House Human Services Committee is scheduled to vote on the bill Tuesday, October 26. Rep. Frank Farry, Chairman of the Committee, is a co-sponsor of the bill.

If the bill becomes law before January 1, it would bring much needed relief to a treatment system already struggling with major workforce issues and chronic underfunding.

Contact Jason Snyder, Director of RCPA’s Drug and Alcohol Division, with any questions.

Recently, a bi-partisan group of members from the House of Representatives introduced a bill that addresses the tentative cuts in reimbursement for services paid for through the 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) proposed rule. This bill was published in the Federal Register on August 17, 2020 (comments were due by October 5, 2020). These cuts impact outpatient therapy in addition to inpatient physician services. This bill, “Holding Providers Harmless From Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act of 2020”, would create a separate, dedicated fund that would pay providers the difference in their reimbursement and 2020 payment rates for two years. The Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association (RCPA) will continue to update members on the progression of this bill.