MHA AZ 2018 Legislative Wrap Up 

HCR2034 -  Reyna Estrada; Mental Health: The bill asks that the state recognize that the publicly funded mental health system in the state exists to benefit both patient as well as the public by providing needed mental health treatment to those who cannot or will not voluntarily accept treatment. The bill asks that the Legislature recognize that the mental health system in Arizona should benefit the patients and protect the public by ensuring that the system is adequately funded to deal with the growing number of untreated mentally ill persons in the state and that the agencies accountable for the public funding provided to run the system use the monies appropriately. Action - Held in Senate. 

HB2107 -  Prescription Drug Costs; Patient Notification: Pharmacy benefits managers are prohibited from charging or collecting from an "enrollee" (defined) a cost sharing requirement for a prescription or pharmacy service that exceeds the amount retained by the pharmacist or pharmacy from all payment sources for filling the prescription or providing the service. Pharmacy benefits managers cannot prohibit a pharmacist or pharmacy from informing an enrollee of the difference between the enrollee's cost sharing requirement and the amount the enrollee would pay without using prescription drug coverage, or from selling a prescription drug to an enrollee who chooses not to use prescription drug coverage. Pharmacy benefits managers are prohibited from restricting a pharmacy from dispensing a 90-day fill of a prescription medication pursuant to State Board of Pharmacy rules.

Action - Passed. 

HB2127 -  Children's Health Insurance Program: Would remove the KidsCare trigger, which would keep KidsCare in place once we lose federal match dollars. Action - Held in Senate.

HB 2136 -  Appropriation; DES; Information; Referral Service:  Would have increased 211funding. Action - Held in Committee. 

HB2197 -  Health Professional; Workforce Data:

Requires health regulatory boards to collect data from applicants that is prescribed by DHS rule beginning January 2020. This data will be used to help identify health care staff needs statewide. Action - Passed. 

HB2237 -  Psychologists; Licensure; Requirements:

An applicant for licensure as a psychologist automatically meets a list of specified licensure requirements if the applicant earned a doctoral degree from a program that was accredited by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System at the time of graduation. Action - Held in Senate.

HB2303 - Sentencing; Drug Offenses; Repetitive Offenders:

Would modernize Arizona's drug sentencing laws for drug possession and allow opportunities for treatment. Action - Held.

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