The Senate Health and Human Resources Committee met this afternoon and advanced three bills regarding the Food is Medicine program, Medicaid recipients and child welfare.
Senate Bill 562 would establish the Food is Medicine Program under Medicaid.
The Food is Medicine Program incorporates basic nutrition and culinary skills education, patient-provider relationships, health metric collection, and locally grown produce to improve patients’ overall well-being.
The Department of Human Services, through the Bureau of Medical Services, would permit Medicaid managed care organizations to offer Food is Medicine services within the Medicaid program.
The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage, first being sent to the committee on Finance.
Senate Bill 649 would require certain individuals the right to receive blood pressure monitoring devices financially covered by Medicaid.
An individual enrolled in Medicaid would be eligible to receive a self-measured blood pressure validated device if they are pregnant or are within the 12-month post-partum pregnancy time frame, and have been diagnosed with uncontrolled hypertension.
The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage, first being reported to the committee on Finance.
Senate Bill 744 would require that, within 24 hours, the commissioner of the Critical Incident Review Team notify the Office of the Inspector General of a child fatality or near fatality to convene.
The Office of Inspector General would have to submit an initial report within 75 days of the fatality or near fatality to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability, with updated reports every 90 days.
The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage, first being reported to the committee on Finance.
