Bill > HB0437

This bill makes several changes to Utah's healthcare system, primarily focusing on the Medicaid program and hospital assessments. It amends the Medicaid drug program to allow for preferred drug lists, which can include placing certain drugs on a preferred list to manage costs and utilization, with specific provisions for psychotropic drugs (drugs affecting mental state) and immunosuppressive drugs (drugs used to prevent organ transplant rejection). The bill also modifies the conditions under which the state can expand its Medicaid program to cover more individuals, requiring legislative notification and adherence to specific federal funding request processes. A significant portion of the bill establishes the "Inpatient Hospital Assessment Act," which imposes an assessment on private hospitals to help fund the health coverage improvement program, a new initiative aimed at expanding healthcare access. This new program will seek waivers from federal regulations (CMS, or Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) to cover certain adults, prioritizing those who are chronically homeless or need substance abuse or mental health treatment. The bill also includes provisions for intergovernmental transfers from state teaching hospitals and non-state government hospitals to fund the Medicaid Expansion Fund, and it outlines how this fund will be used. Finally, it makes adjustments to the powers of the Public Employees' Health Plan to include providing services for drugs or medical devices for program recipients not covered by Title 26 of the Utah Code.