Not a ton news since last week. The main thing that happened this week is that the Governor signed a good bill on suicide prevention (more info below). He also signed a bill that will make Association Health Plans more available in AZ. Info on that below too. Last week’s Legislative Update covers things pretty well so far.
Other than that, we’re moving full force into the budget negotiations process now. By all accounts it looks to be a more deliberative process than in years past because of the tight party affiliation margins and the disconnect between the executive budget priorities and those of the legislature. It’s likely that we’ll have at least a few more weeks before a final budget is complete- and it might even go into June this year.
SB 1468 Suicide Prevention Training
It will require school districts, charter schools, and Arizona teacher training programs to include suicide awareness and prevention training in their continuing education curricula. It’ll require AHCCCS to make suicide awareness and prevention training available (fortunately some evidence- based tools curricula already exist).
Starting in the 2020 school year, school districts and charter schools would need to provide training in suicide awareness and prevention to school personnel in grades 6 to 12. The bill also establishes requirements for suicide awareness and prevention training and specifically says that the training use evidenced-based training materials and instruct participants on how to identify the warning signs of suicidal behavior in adolescents and teens.
SB 1085 Association Health Plans (AzPHA Opposed)
This bill was passed by the House this week and is awaiting the Governor’s signature. He’s sure to sign it. It basically provides a regulatory structure at the state level to regulate AHPs in AZ – serving to make them more available in Arizona. A primary concern for folks interested in public health and consumer protection is that AHPs don’t need to cover the essential health benefits, they can charge differently depending on gender and age.
Additionally, we’re concerned that if an employer offers a “skinny” benefit plan that barely meets the definition of minimum value (and doesn’t include important essential health benefits) families could be prevented from benefitting from the subsidies that would otherwise be available to them on the Marketplace.
Back in August (at the direction of the President) the US Department of Labor issued a final rule that established criteria for determining when employers can join in an association and be treated as an employer sponsor of a group health plan. The federal regulation loosens the rules for additional plans to come onto the market, allowing more small businesses including individuals who work for themselves to join these plans. This bill will make these plans more available in AZ.
