Bill > HB530

This bill, known as the "Patients First Act", aims to prevent discrimination against health care providers in health insurance plans by requiring that health benefit plans reimburse providers equally for services within their scope of practice. Specifically, the bill instructs the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance to implement and enforce federal nondiscrimination protections, ensuring that group health plans and health insurance issuers cannot discriminate against providers based on their licensure when it comes to plan participation or reimbursement. The bill mandates that all health care providers must be reimbursed at the same rate for the same service, provided the service is within their professional scope of practice. However, health plans are still permitted to establish different reimbursement rates based on quality or performance measures. Notably, the bill explicitly does not apply to physicians licensed under Chapter 334 of Missouri law. The bill also authorizes the department to create necessary rules and regulations for implementing these provisions, with specific guidelines about how such rules must be developed and approved. The provisions would become effective after August 28, 2025.

Business and Industry, Government Affairs

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB530&year=2025&code=R