Our legislative victory this year was dismissing HB 424, the bill to exempt audiologists from dual licensure under the Board of Hearing Aid Specialists and the Board of Audiology.  We owe our thanks to the patron, Delegate Patrick Hope (D, Arlington) for working with the VSO and withdrawing his legislation.  Delegate Hope recognized that he was in the middle of a scope of practice issue and immediately deferred to the expertise of the VSO leadership.

Also last week, the physician community was also able to defeat SB 263 which would have allowed independent practice by Nurse Practitioners. 

The VSO is actively involved in supporting Delegate Bob Marshall's (R, Manassas) HB 11, which provided much excitement this week.  As originally drafted, this legislation would have required a peer review during reconsideration, the first step in the appeals process. When the bill was first introduced the insurance industry dismissed the bill and assumed it would not gain any support.  However, the bill passed out of subcommittee 4-2 which made the insurance industry come to the table to negotiate with physician groups.  After meetings with the insurance industry all last week, Delegates Marshall and O'Bannon agreed to compromise language that would streamline the appeals process but not require a peer review during the reconsideration process.

Specifically, the bill as amended would allow a physician to utilize the reconsideration process or go directly to the appeals process for a denial.  If a physician chooses the reconsideration process, the physician will be notified verbally at the time of the determination of the reconsideration of the adverse decision and in writing following the determination of the reconsideration of the adverse decision.  The physician can then decide to proceed with an appeal, which will be immediately initiated on the phone without additional action by the treating physician.   A peer review is currently required during the appeals process but clarifying language was added to require that a physician advisor who reviews cases under appeal shall be board certified in the same or similar specialty as the treating health care provider.

HB 11 as amended is now uncontested and should easily pass the full House and move on to the Senate.