Transcript Highlights:

• the legislature expanding doula care.
• Competent care, which led to the legislature expanding doula care for pregnant and postpartum Medi-Cal
• Access to health care is a human right, yet for communities of color, Access to health care is a human
• But access to health care is the floor, not the ceiling.
• Lee, Screening, and access to care for those living with tardive dyskinesia. Dr.

Transcript Highlights:

• We fill bed spaces, we feel managed care is managed care. They're the ones making the money.
• We'll provide you health care insurance cheaper than XYZ. Oh, okay. I think I get that.
• But it is just the managed care model that the state's always had.
• But then on the health care side I don't have a great deal of knowledge. And..."
• Because collections, the health care provider never gets what they're billed.

Bills: HB2775 , HB2874 , HB2940 , HB4014 , HB4067 , HB4115 , HCM2010 , HCR2051

Committees: House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections , House House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections Committee of Reference

Keywords: international organizations, government resources, public institutions, Arizona Board of Regents, foreign adversaries, campaign finance, contributions, termination statements, reporting, penalties, electoral processes, healthcare, public benefits, eligibility verification, fraud prevention, Medicaid, SNAP, transparency, accountability, state land

Transcript Highlights:

• This can increase health care costs for Idaho for no public patients in need.
• This can increase health care costs for Idaho for no public health benefit.
• This bill will deliver current community standards of care.
• Representative Redmond, do you care to close? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• And then on line 5, or sorry, page 5, line 9 through 10, we have maternal care or neonatal care defined

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• So how much a year are we subsidizing care?
• Number one is foster care. Lifechurch, I've been told they would like to address foster care.
• But my passion is foster care.
• foster care system.
• The other piece of that is foster care. And it's foster care recruitment.

Committee: House Appropriations and Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• For survivors, access to abortion care is not just health care.
• is the exact opposite of health care.
• I did not have to be brave in public just to get basic care.
• I did not have to be brave in public just to get basic care.
• And I did not care what the cost was.

Summary: The Workforce Development Committee heard public testimony on several higher education bills. Senate Bill 5954 would expand veteran survivor tuition waiver eligibility to better align state law with federal DEA benefits, allowing eligible children and surviving spouses/domestic partners to use the waiver outside current age and time limits. The sponsor and veteran advocates said the change would help families access earned benefits; no opposition was heard, and the public hearing was closed. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5826, which would require public postsecondary institutions to provide access to medication abortion through student health centers or referrals and web-based information by the 2027-28 academic year. Supporters, including students and reproductive health advocates, said the bill would reduce barriers, travel burdens, and stigma and help students stay enrolled. Opponents, including clergy, Catholic Conference representatives, and other individuals, argued the bill promoted abortion, raised safety and moral concerns, and was outside the mission of colleges. The public hearing was closed after extensive testimony. Senate Bill 5828 would restore and adjust Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship awards for students attending private not-for-profit four-year institutions, using the average award at public institutions rather than the reduced formula adopted last session. The sponsor and many students, private college leaders, and business and workforce groups supported the bill as a matter of fairness, access, and student choice, while public university faculty and representatives opposed it, saying state aid should prioritize public institutions and that the bill would deepen funding inequities. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5909, which would require public baccalaureate institutions to review and potentially discontinue low-enrollment degree programs; supporters framed it as a transparency and efficiency measure, while faculty and student representatives opposed it as too blunt and potentially harmful to smaller, specialized, or equity-focused programs. No votes were taken on any of the bills during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The next bill is **SB 151**, the Child Care Trailer Bill.
• We want to be very careful.
• I didn't vote for **SB 131** originally because I didn't care for the process, and I didn't care for
• costs of offering state-mandated gender-affirming care benefits within our health care exchange and
• Beth Malinowski with SEIU California on Child Care 151 will ratify the agreement between the Child Care

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• But if they don't have a long-term care unit, and apparently that's the... ...have a long-term care unit
• Mass Senior Care would like to, too.
• And I know the Home Care Licensure Commission did have issues.
• ... ...every CCRC has to have three levels of care.
• But it's careful, careful surgical work.

Summary: The commission met to review its draft final report on continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), with most of the discussion focused on whether recommendations required unanimous consensus and how to handle disagreements in the report. Members agreed that consensus meant no stated opposition, and several participants argued that unresolved issues should still be described in the report rather than omitted. The chairs said the report would include agreed-upon recommendations, note areas without consensus, and preserve written comments or dissent letters submitted by members. The draft report’s findings and slides were reviewed charge by charge, including CCRC definitions, financial condition, entrance fee refunds, regulatory oversight, advertising practices, and closure/change-of-ownership procedures. Members suggested several factual and wording edits, including clarifying financial data sources, correcting a presenter’s name, refining language about entrance fee use and refund timing, and revising statements about Attorney General authority and CCRC advertising. There was also discussion about the need to distinguish nonprofit and for-profit CCRCs and to better explain how different care levels and licensing structures are described. On recommendations, the commission kept the proposal to advance the disclosure bill (S. 478) and update the consumer guide, but removed a recommendation for annual open board meetings after objections that it was inadequate. The group spent considerable time debating whether to recommend resident representation on CCRC boards, timely refund requirements for entrance fees, and possible state registration or definition changes for CCRCs, but no consensus was reached on those items. The chairs said the final report would be completed by the statutory August 1 deadline, with final written comments due before then and the report and meeting materials posted on the legislature website.

Transcript Highlights:

• care and the treatment that they need care and the treatment that they need without<00:10:46.560><c>
• </c> increasing access to care for patients. increasing access to care for patients.
• This model allows primary care providers, care managers, and consulting psychiatrists to work together
• It reduces weight primary care office.
• </c><00:29:04.399><c> is</c> Kentucky Primary Care Association is Kentucky Primary Care Association is

Transcript Highlights:

• care close to home.
• care.
• care, gender-affirming care, and related services.
• You call it health care, right? Oh, it's health care, access to health care.
• We don't care about them; we care about our old ladies, right?

Transcript Highlights:

• To start off with, I want to share a little bit about why we care about cross-enrollment.
• of Health Care Services.
• Health care services to low-income families who meet eligibility requirements.
• And reduce complexity and build on whole-person care using data.
• The income levels are slightly different with Medi-Cal, with the Affordable Care Act.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services heard an overview of efforts to streamline access to safety net programs and move toward more automatic, person-centered enrollment. CDSS, DHCS, and CalHHS described current cross-enrollment between Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and CalWORKs, including data showing high overlap among programs and a text-message outreach pilot that increased CalWORKs applications and enrollments but reached only a small share of potentially eligible people. Witnesses emphasized barriers such as differing federal eligibility rules, data-sharing limits, privacy concerns, and the need for better technology, consent management, and stakeholder engagement. Members pressed the administration on how to institutionalize these efforts across administrations and asked for concrete budgetary and regulatory steps to support “no wrong door” enrollment and automatic referrals. The committee also reviewed several chair priorities. On the proposed foster care multi-agency office, CDSS said existing coordination structures already address much of the intended work and asked to verify prior fiscal scoring. On the Employment First Office, CalHHS explained that the office’s $1 million budget was eliminated in the 2024-25 budget as part of deficit reductions, while noting that employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities remains an administration priority through existing departmental coordination. For the food insecurity proposal, CDSS said it could provide technical assistance but would need new data-sharing agreements, could not separately calculate a CFAP participation rate with current data, and would likely need until July 1, 2027, plus ongoing staffing, to complete the requested report. The mandated reporter proposal drew support for reform, with CDSS estimating low-millions in one-time training costs and ongoing costs in the hundreds of thousands. The subcommittee also discussed a guaranteed income proposal. CalHHS suggested drafting new statutory language and considering a county-administered model rather than a state-run competitive grant process to reduce administrative burden, while members and public commenters urged support for AB 661 and a study of a permanent statewide guaranteed income program. Public testimony also supported automatic enrollment, community-supporting mandated reporting reforms, and cash assistance for fire recovery. In the final items, CSD described how local nonprofit partners helped during the Los Angeles fires with food, housing vouchers, transportation, and emergency energy assistance, and explained that LIHEAP and CSBG remain important but limited tools for disaster response. CSD also said recent federal staffing cuts and possible future federal budget threats could affect LIHEAP and CSBG administration, though no immediate service disruptions had occurred and additional LIHEAP funds were expected to be released soon.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:06:11.840><c> professional</c> licensed health care professional licensed health care professional
• </c><00:06:52.319><c> chemotherapeutic</c> vital to begin a care chemotherapeutic vital to begin a care
• Uh they have a very care providers.
• Cole will take care of testimony. Yep. Cole will take care of it.
• ,</c><00:39:44.560><c> two</c><00:39:44.800><c> in</c> care pharmacists in primary care, two in care

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• We also work with the managed care plans over the years.
• We just want to be pretty careful about sharing it on social media.
• of payment rates for direct care workers.
• That could be Medicare for more acute, post-acute care situations, some private long-term care insurance
• “Getting personal care attendant numbers, right? Those kinds of things.

Summary: The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities’ Long-Term Services and Supports and Health Equity Subcommittee met to hear a presentation from the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University. Monica Mitra introduced the institute’s work on disability health equity and long-term services and supports, and staff described several research centers focused on community living policy, disability and pregnancy, and parents with disabilities. The presentation emphasized participatory research, accessible dissemination, and the connection between health equity and access to home- and community-based services. Joe Caldwell discussed the Community Living Policy Center’s work on Medicaid HCBS, the direct care workforce crisis, housing, and policy advocacy, including efforts related to the Money Follows the Person program and the Medicaid access rule’s interested parties advisory group. Sid Pickern highlighted a workforce study interviewing direct care workers, a forthcoming policy brief on the access rule, and housing research including Massachusetts’ Alternative Housing Voucher Program. Teresa Nguyen described the Community Living Equity Center’s focus on disparities in community living for people of color, especially a study on self-direction and community living outcomes, and asked for help recruiting participants. Lauren Bixby demonstrated the community living data dashboard, which compares adults who need LTSS with those receiving Medicaid LTSS using ACS and TMSIS data. She explained that the dashboard can be filtered by state and demographics, but noted major race and ethnicity data gaps for Massachusetts and other states. Commissioners praised the dashboard and the institute’s work, asked questions about data sources and the 1115 waiver, and discussed possible connections to the Health Equity Compact. No votes were taken; the meeting ended with an invitation for follow-up, including a forthcoming direct care workforce brief and the institute’s October 28 lecture.

Transcript Highlights:

• when they fall within the procedure scope of podiatric medicine and relate to tissue repair, wound care
• that certain products are not FDA approved and encouraging patients to consult with their primary care
• abuse, not because they refused care.
• They must obtain this memory care services license if the ALF serves one or more memory care residents
• services for such memory care residents.

Bills: S0042 , S0196 , S0878 , S0902 , S0914 , S1092 , S1168 , S1340 , S1404 , S1414 , S1684 , S1686

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services met to hear and vote on a series of health, human services, and education-related bills, along with a presentation of the committee’s proposed HHS budget. The budget was described as increasing by more than $2.1 billion over the current base, with major funding highlighted for Medicaid and KidCare, rural health, provider rate increases, child welfare, mental health and substance use, opioid treatment, Alzheimer’s initiatives, cancer research, ADAP, veterans’ services, and IT modernization. Public testimony on the budget focused heavily on AIDS Drug Assistance Program funding and concerns about Department of Health changes affecting access, premium assistance, notice, and continuity of care for people living with HIV/AIDS. Among the bills reported favorably were measures on podiatric medicine and tissue-based products (SB 1092), background screening and clearinghouse procedures (SB 1168), child protective investigations involving specific medical diagnoses and second opinions (SB 42), clinical laboratory personnel licensure standards (SB 878), uterine fibroid data tracking and research (SB 196), medical marijuana treatment center oversight and related health provisions (SB 902), dyslexia and dyscalculia screening and intervention in schools (SB 1340), memory care licensure for assisted living facilities (SB 1404), congenital CMV education materials (SB 1414), Parkinson’s disease registry and related public records exemption bills (SB 1684 and SB 1686), and occupational therapy dry needling licensure standards (SB 914). Several bills were amended before passage, including SB 1092, SB 42, SB 902, SB 1684, and SB 1404. Testimony generally came from professional associations, advocacy groups, and affected stakeholders, with support voiced for most measures. The committee adopted amendments on the floor, heard no opposition during debate on the bills described, and then voted to report each measure favorably. At the end of the meeting, senators requested to be recorded in the affirmative on selected bills, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This comes with a life care plan.
• I'm telling you, I assured her that everything will be taken care of, and ABA will be taken care of,
• A few physicians that take care of them, we cannot take care of these patients at that rate.
• care.
• of care.

Bills: SB30 , SB517 , SB1313 , SB1314 , SB1316 , SB1541 , SB1698 , SB1845 , SB1860 , SB2420 , SB2429

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: gambling, criminal offenses, penalties, defense, electronic devices, tobacco advertising, youth protection, public health, criminal offense, retailer regulation, e-cigarettes, nicotine products, health, public safety, regulation, advertising restrictions, health and safety, elections, election audit, county elections

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs convened to discuss several critical pieces of legislation including SB30 and SB38. Senator Betancourt introduced a committee substitute for SB38 which underwent a smooth adoption process, moving it favorably toward the Senate. The meeting featured a mix of invited testimonies where both proponents and opponents took the floor. One notable highlight included a testimony from Melissa Casey, who criticized the current legal state as prone to fraud and detrimental to both insurers and the public at large, contending that it inflated insurance costs across the board. The discussions delved deeply into the implications of the bills on judicial processes and potential insurance ramifications, with spirited debates surrounding issues of non-economic damages and jury rights. The atmosphere remained engaged as committee members heard varied perspectives on the bills, showcasing a robust democratic process. The meeting underscored the importance of public testimony in shaping legislation, ensuring that multiple voices were considered as the committee pressed on towards making decisions that affect the legal landscape of Texas.

Transcript Highlights:

• Together, we have the opportunity to transform health care workplaces and systems.
• Together, we have the opportunity to transform health care workplaces and systems.
• Van is the holder of two U.S. patents in health care for chronic neck and back pain.
• He's currently a health care consultant focusing on physician burnout, turnover, and retention.
• politician doesn't understand that medical care you want, you're not allowed to have it.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the journal, electronic roll call, and several guest introductions, including recognition of Health Workforce Wellbeing Day of Awareness, the Doctor of the Day, educators visiting the Capitol, and student guests. The President also made temporary committee appointments for the day and announced the day’s calendar of bills and committee referrals. The chamber then took up third-reading votes on several measures. Senate Bill 1014, relating to health insurance, passed 17-9. Senate Bill 1016, on employment practices and religious exemptions, also passed 17-9 after debate about workplace safety and public health. Senate Bill 1050, concerning state parks and veteran access, passed 19-9, with supporters citing benefits for disabled and retired veterans and opponents warning about impacts on park fees. Senate Bill 1054, relating to referendum power and emergency measures, passed 16-10 amid debate over local emergency authority. Senate Bill 1177, relating to public monies and health care services, passed 17-9 after sharp partisan debate over transgender-related medical restrictions. Senate Bill 1194, also on health care services and vaccination-related medical decisions, passed 17-9. Senate Bill 1398, relating to AHCCCS, passed 17-9. Senate Bill 1751, relating to capital punishment, passed 16-9. The Senate also passed SCR 1049, a concurrent resolution proposing a constitutional amendment on capital punishment, by a 16-9 vote. Throughout the floor debate, members offered explanations of vote focused on public health, religious liberty, veterans’ benefits, emergency powers, transgender rights, vaccination policy, and the death penalty. The Senate then announced a Health and Human Services Committee meeting for the following day and adjourned until Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 10 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first is for the Agency for Health Care Administration.
• That's what this program here does; it covers uncompensated care.
• That's what this program here does; it covers uncompensated care.
• To care because those hospitals are not participating in the program.
• It's having access to the care that they need. That's my question. Mr.

Summary: The Legislative Budget Commission met with a quorum present and considered two budget amendments for the Agency for Health Care Administration. The first, EOGB 2026-0831, authorized $2.1 billion in budget authority for the Low-Income Pool to support safety-net providers for uncompensated charity care. Members asked about the timing of CMS approval and whether the program addressed hospital shortfalls for insured patients and children; AHCA said the program is for uncompensated care and would follow up on specific questions. The amendment was adopted without objection. The second amendment, EOGB 2026-0875, placed $7.9 billion in reserve for Florida’s Directed Payment Program for hospitals, pending final CMS approval. Discussion focused on hospital attestations that no hold harmless agreements were in place, the meaning of those federal requirements, and whether any agreements had to be unwound; AHCA said attestations had been received from all hospitals and submitted to CMS. Members also asked about the approval timeline and whether another amendment would be needed after final approval, and AHCA said approval was hoped for soon but could not confirm the budget process. Representative Woodson raised concerns about cancer hospitals not participating in the DPP; AHCA responded that those hospitals participate instead in a separate Florida Cancer Hospital supplemental program, which had already been approved. This amendment was also adopted without objection, and the commission then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• > direct</c><00:08:10.240><c> care</c><00:08:10.400><c> and</c> health care system, direct care and health
• care from our state's fantastic health care providers.
• </c> year will lose care access to care that year will lose care access to care that we<00:52:24.599>
• </c> long-term care in Minnesota? long-term care in Minnesota?
• it's the community care hub. This is the it's the community care hub.

Committee: Senate Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:48:46.280><c> and</c> reducing premiums for manage care and reducing premiums for manage care
• compensated care, because she, let's say, is going to still need that emergency care treatment, she
• ><c> she</c><01:26:55.880><c> let's</c> care compensated care because she let's care compensated care
• </c> and the uncomp uncompensated care and the uncomp uncompensated care associated<02:00:34.239><c>
• we make an estimate of what care we make an estimate of what uncompensated<02:05:58.480><c> care</c>

Summary: The House Finance Division Three work session on February 21, 2025 focused on the Division of Medicaid Services budget. The chair opened with procedural guidance, noting the division’s role is to make recommendations to the full Finance Committee, that the budget must be balanced, and that members should track possible amendments ahead of a March 26 target for House Bills 1 and 2. Members also discussed the importance of using official budget documents and online resources, and the chair said no motions would be taken at this session. A major early topic was concern over a five-point Medicaid policy document and the timing of House Bill 2. Representative Tarki objected that the document appeared to be an unofficial draft and argued that significant Medicaid policy changes should have been transmitted by February 15 under state law. He said the lack of an official, posted document raised transparency concerns because the changes could affect tens of thousands of residents. Committee leadership responded that the five-point document was a working document, that it would be posted online within minutes, and that House Bill 2 is often delayed while the Office of Legislative Services finalizes and formats the governor’s proposed trailer bill. DHHS Chief Financial Officer Nathan White and Medicaid Director Henry Litman then began the budget presentation. White said the committee would use the PowerPoint as the document of record, starting with the governor’s operating budget pages 885-893, and noted that Medicaid is the largest accounting area in the state budget. He said the governor’s budget reflects about $60 million in reductions within the Medicaid area, with Granite Advantage handled off-budget and another $10 million in reductions there, for roughly a $70 million difference overall. Members asked whether the comparison was being made against an efficiency budget or a prioritized-needs budget, and White said the department could look at it different ways. The presentation then outlined Medicaid’s role in New Hampshire: it provides health coverage, serves as the state’s direct interface with the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and helps finance related services such as long-term supports, school-based services, adult dental coverage, and re-entry programs for people leaving correctional settings. White also reviewed enrollment and program context, saying New Hampshire has about one in seven residents enrolled in Medicaid, making it the fourth smallest Medicaid program in the country by enrollment, and described recent efforts such as youth re-entry and the Medicaid unwind after the end of the federal continuous coverage period. He said the state had to process more than 238,000 redeterminations after the public health emergency and that the department tried to avoid unnecessary coverage loss during that transition.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Believing that what is tended with care Believing that what is tended with care today<00:02:43.280
• The evening in Annapolis for child care is sponsored by the Maryland State Child Care Association, the
• </c> is evening in Annapolis for child care. is evening in Annapolis for child care.
• ><c> the</c> how important child care is to the how important child care is to the families<00:09:14.000
• Care by the Maryland State Child Care Association,<00:09:20.800><c> the</c><00:09:20.959><c> Maryland

Transcript Highlights:

• We did promise To health care.
• They provide access to health care.
• Missourians in my office begging us not to cut their vital services: health care, housing, child care
• care.
• I care who is responsible for the burden of paying those tax dollars, and I care about...