Dear Virginia ACOG Members,
The General Assembly session of 2013 will convene on January 9th. Below is a list of the bills I will be monitoring. There might be more legislation introduced between now and the first week of the session. I would encourage you to contact your legislators about any concerns you may have about the legislation that has already been introduced. If you do not know who your legislator is, you can find out here.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via email: mrgerheart@aol.com
Best regards,
Melanie
HB 1314: Health insurance; contraception coverage. Requires that all insurers offer a plan that does not include coverage for coverage for contraception methods, sterilization procedures, or abortifacient drugs. The bill also provides that any employer who provides for health and medical care or reimbursement of medical expenses for his employees as a self-insurer is not required to include coverage for contraception methods, sterilization procedures, or abortifacient drugs or devices.
HB1315: Health Insuracne; contraception coverage (opt-in). Provides that no health care plan for health care services shall provide coverage for contraception methods, sterilization procedures, abortifacient drugs or devices unless the subscriber or enrollee in the policy, contract, or plan requests such coverage.
HB 1316: Sex-selective abortions; penalty. Provides that a person who performs an abortion with knowledge that the abortion is sought solely and exclusively on account of the sex of the unborn child is guilty of a Class 4 felony. The bill also requires that the information that must be provided to a woman seeking an abortion prior to obtaining her informed written consent to the procedure shall include a statement that the physician would be committing a criminal offense if he performs an abortion solely on account of the sex of the unborn child.
HB 1352: Health care records; increases the maximum copying fee that a health provider may charge. Increases the maximum fee that a health care provider may charge for retrieving, reviewing, and preparing copies of patient records in response to a subpoena duces tecum or a request by the patient, his attorney, or his executor or administrator. The maximum fee is raised from $0.50 to $0.75 per page for up to 50 pages and from $0.25 to $0.50 per page for documents in excess of 50 pages. The bill also raises the maximum search and handling fee from $10 to $20.
HB 1417: Health insurance; contraception coverage. (Drops coverage requirement) Provides that no health insurance plan is required to include coverage for contraception methods, sterilization procedures, or abortifacient drugs or devices.
SB 699: Medical malpractice; certification of expert witnesses requires expert witness in medical malpractice case to be certified as to his/her qualifications before providing testimony.
SB 707: Requires any health care provider that provides health care to covered patient must submit health care claim. Patient will not be liable if claim is not submitted by provider.
SB 783: Birth control; definition. Adds a definition of birth control. "Birth control" means contraceptive methods that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Birth control shall not be considered abortion for the purposes of Title 18.2
SB 794: Disabled parking placards. Physicians may issue to patients with a temporary disability that limits or impairs their ability to walk. Current law allows only DMV to issue.