The Weekly Ethical Roundabout

Federal:

The Hill: A bipartisan bill to reform Medicare prior authorization law has been introduced in the House. The Reducing Medically Unnecessary Delays in Care Act of 2025 has been endorsed by many medical associations, including the AMA, as physicians have repeatedly voiced concerns that current authorization practices negatively impact patient care. It will require restrictions on Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Part D policies to be based on clinical criteria and medical necessity.

State:

West Virginia Watch: A bill is moving through the state Senate that would make prescribing or mailing abortifacient medication to state residents a felony. Senate Bill 85 will amend the state code to prohibit prescribing abortifacients or placing them in the stream of commerce to residents of the state. Persons other than licensed prescribers who violate the code can be found guilty of a felony, while licensed providers can be subject to disciplinary action by their licensing board. The bill does not authorize criminal charges against the individual who uses the medication.

Missouri Independent: A Missouri House bill to address fetal survival post-abortion has been referred to the Senate for review. House Bill 195, titled the “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act”, will mandate that fetuses that are born alive during or after an abortion procedure are provided the rights and privileges of any other person or citizen in the state. The bill would also mandate that healthcare providers must exercise the same life-saving treatments in post-abortion scenarios as those used with other infants of similar gestational age. Finally, the bill provides civil liability for personal injury, bodily injury, and wrongful death for spouses, partners, parents, and siblings of deceased individuals.

HIPAA Journal: The Governor of Virginia has signed a bill into law amending the state’s Consumer Protection Act. Senate Bill 754 amends the current Act to prohibit the obtaining, disclosing, selling, or disseminating of personal information related to reproductive or sexual health without the consent of the consumer. The Consumer Protection Act provides consumers with a right of action for damages against violators.

Minnesota House: The Minnesota House is revisiting a 2004 law that prevented patient isolation by allowing patients to designate a support person. As passed, the law only provides this opportunity to “patients” and not individuals in assisted living homes and long-term care facilities. House Bill 2407 will amend the state’s Patients’ Bill of Rights and Assisted Living Bill of Rights to allow all individuals to designate a person to support them while they receive healthcare services.

The Oklahoman: The Oklahoma House has passed a bill permitting a healthcare institution or payor from paying for or participating in a service that violates their conscience. House Bill 1224 will now move to the state Senate for consideration, though a Senate bill that mirrored HB 1224’s language has already been voted down by the state senators. The current bill was drafted to mirror the language of a bill that was passed in the state of Montana in 2023.

News Center Maine: Maine’s Legislature has six abortion-related bills that will be heard by the committee next month. The bills address a number of aspects of the state’s abortion laws, including the use of MaineCare funding for abortion services and amendments to the state’s informed consent laws. The bills that will move to the legislature’s working session on April 1st are: LD 1154, LD 1007, LD 887, LD 886, LD 682, and LD 253.

Glances Abroad:

Veranex: The German Parliament is reviewing a bill that would permit physicians to prescribe insurance-covered, health-related apps. The Law for Better Provision Through Digitalization and Innovation is expected to be signed later this year and permits insurance companies to be reimbursed for app costs for apps approved by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices. Apps are currently classified under the European Union as low-risk medical devices and must demonstrate a positive effect on patient health.