HB 398 Peters, Tara
HB 398 -- HEALTH CARE
SPONSOR: Peters
This bill modifies provisions relating to health care.
EXPEDITED PARTNER THERAPY (Section 191.648, RSMo)
The bill adds Trichomoniasis to the list of sexually transmitted diseases that if an individual is diagnosed with, a physician is allowed to treat the individual's sex partners without an intervening medical evaluation or professional prevention counseling. The bill also adds any other sexually transmitted infection designated as appropriate for expedited partner therapy by the Department of Health and Senior Services or recommended for expedited partner therapy in the most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. The bill expands the use of expedited partner therapy in such cases from physicians to health care professionals licensed under chapters 334 or 3335 authorized to prescribe medications.
SPECIALTY HOSPITALS (Section 192.2521)
This bill exempts "specialty hospitals", as defined in the bill, from certain provisions of law relating to forensic examinations for victims of sexual assault, provided that the specialty hospital has a policy for transfer of a victim to an appropriate hospital with an emergency department.
BLOOD TESTS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN (Section 210.030)
The bill modifies provisions governing blood tests and maternal screening for pregnant women. Currently, pregnant women are asked to take a blood test at the time of the first prenatal examination, or no later than 20 days after the first prenatal examination, to screen for syphilis and hepatitis B, as well as any other treatable diseases and metabolic disorders as are prescribed by the Department of Health and Senior Services.
This bill requires an additional blood sample to be taken, with the woman's consent, at 28 weeks of pregnancy, and expands the list of diseases for screening to include hepatitis C and HIV. The bill also repeals a provision outlining the procedure for a later sample of a woman's blood in any area of the state designated as a syphilis outbreak area, and provides that if a woman tests positive for syphilis, hepatitis B or C, or HIV, or a combination thereof, the physician or person providing care must administer treatment in accordance with the most recent accepted medical practice to treat such diseases.
The bill repeals a reference to the Missouri Genetic Disease Advisory Committee, granting the Department the sole authority to make rules pertaining to these tests, provided that the tests are of the types approved or accepted by the US Food and Drug Administration. The bill also repeals a requirement that approved standard tests for these diseases must be made in a Department-approved laboratory.
SELF-ADMINISTERED HORMONAL CONTRACEPTIVES COVERAGE (Section 376.1240)
Beginning January 1, 2025, this bill requires any health benefit plan in Missouri to reimburse a health care provider or dispensing entity for the dispensing of a supply of self-administered hormonal contraceptives intended to last up to one year. The bill prohibits the coverage from being subject to any greater deductible or co-payment than other similar health care services provided by the health benefit plan.
MAMMOGRAPHY (Section 192.679)
The bill repeals provisions relating to required notice provided to patients upon their completion of a mammogram.
This bill is similar to HCS HB 2413 (2024).