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2020 Session

Budget Amendments - SB30 (Member Request)

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Chief Patron: Dunnavant
Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Program Workgroup (language only)

Item 291 #1s

Item 291 #1s

Health and Human Resources
Secretary of Health and Human Resources

Language

Page 274, after line 38, insert:

"E. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources shall establish a workgroup composed of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security or his designee, the Attorney General or his designee, the Directors of the Department of Medical Assistance Services, the Department of Criminal Justice Services, and the Department of Planning and Budget or their designees, the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court or his designee, the Executive Director of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission, and such other stakeholders as the Secretary of Health and Human Resources shall deem appropriate to evaluate the feasibility of transferring responsibility for the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) program and all related claims for medical expenses related to sexual assault, strangulation, domestic and intimate partner violence, human trafficking, and adult and child abuse from the Virginia Workers' Compensation Board to the Department of Medical Assistance Services. If the workgroup finds that it is not feasible to move responsibility for the SAFE program and related claims from the Virginia Workers' Compensation Board to the Department of Medical Assistance Services, the work group shall develop recommendations for creation of an efficient, seamless electronic medical claim processing system for hospitals and health care providers that coordinates payments from all available sources, suppresses estimates of benefits, and removes the patient from the medical billing and reimbursement process. The workgroup shall also provide recommendations related to (i) increasing the reimbursement rates for sexual assault forensic examinations to cover the actual cost of such examinations and (ii) including reimbursement of costs associated with preparing for and participating in a criminal trial related to the sexual assault when a sexual assault forensic nurse is subpoenaed to participate in such trial as a cost that is reimbursable through the SAFE program. Recommendations developed by the work group shall include recommendations for specific legislative, regulatory and budgetary changes necessary to implement the workgroup's recommendations. The workgroup shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor, the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, and the Joint Commission on Health Care by September 1, 2020."



Explanation

(This amendment directs the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to establish a workgroup to evaluate the feasibility of transferring responsibility for the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) program and all related claims for medical expenses related to sexual assault, strangulation, domestic and intimate partner violence, human trafficking, and adult and child abuse from the Virginia Workers' Compensation Board to the Department of Medical Assistance Services.)