SS#2/SB 79 - This act modifies provisions relating to health care. SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS (Section 191.648) Currently, a physician may utilize expedited partner therapy, meaning the practice of treating the sex partners of persons with chlamydia or gonorrhea without an intervening medical evaluation or professional prevention counseling, to prescribe and dispense medications for the treatment of chlamydia or gonorrhea even without an established physician/patient relationship. Under this act, physicians and certain health care professionals may use expedited partner therapy and such therapy may be used for designated sexually transmitted infections beyond chlamydia and gonorrhea. This act repeals the requirement that antibiotic medications prescribed and dispensed through expedited partner therapy for the treatment of chlamydia or gonorrhea be in pill form. These provisions are identical to provisions in SCS/SB 178 (2025), and substantially similar to provisions in SB 548 (2025), HB 398 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 943 (2025), HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), HCS/SB 94 (2025), SCS/SB 317 (2025), HCS/HB 2413 (2024), SB 1445 (2024), and HB 1879 (2024). TELEHEALTH SERVICES (Section 191.1145) Under this act, "telehealth" or "telemedicine" shall include the delivery of health care services through audiovisual and audio-only technologies and shall not be limited only to services delivered via select third-party corporate platforms. These provisions are identical to provisions in HB 822 (2025), SCS/HB 825 (2025), SCS/SB 825 (2025), HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), HCS/SB 94 (2025), SCS/SB 317 (2025), and HB 1873 (2024), and substantially similar to provisions in SB 931 (2024), SB 669 (2023), and HB 1098 (2023). FORENSIC EXAMINATIONS OF VICTIMS OF SEXUAL OFFENSES (Section 192.2521) Under this act, a specialty hospital, meaning a hospital other than a general acute care hospital, shall not be required to comply with certain statutory provisions relating to forensic examinations of victims of sexual assault if such hospital has in place a policy for the transfer of such victims to an appropriate hospital with an emergency department. These provisions are identical to provisions in SCS/SB 178 (2025), SCS/SB 317 (2025), HB 398 (2025), HB 845 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 943 (2025), HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), HCS/SB 94 (2025), and HCS/HB 2413 (2024), and substantially similar to SB 1326 (2024). MO HEALTHNET COVERAGE OF HEARING-RELATED DEVICES (Section 208.152) Currently, reimbursable MO HealthNet services include hearing aids for eligible needy children, pregnant women, and blind persons. This act mandates MO HealthNet coverage of medically necessary cochlear implants and hearing instruments for all eligible participants. These provisions are identical to SB 419 (2025) and provisions in SB 548 (2025), HCS/HBs 177 & 469 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 943 (2025), HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), SCS/SB 317 (2025), and HCS/HBs 2626 & 1918 (2024), and substantially similar to SB 1443 (2024). PRENATAL TESTS FOR CERTAIN DISEASES (Section 210.030) Currently, a physician or other health care provider shall draw and test a pregnant woman's blood at or soon after her first prenatal examination, with her consent, for syphilis, hepatitis B, or other similar diseases. Under this act, the testing of the pregnant woman's blood shall also occur at the twenty-eighth week of her pregnancy and immediately after birth. Additionally, the test shall include hepatitis C and HIV. If a mother tests positive for syphilis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV, the physician or other health care provider shall treat the mother in accordance with the most recent accepted medical practice. Current law requires the Department of Health and Senior Services to work in consultation with the Missouri Genetic Disease Advisory Committee to make rules pertaining to these blood tests. This act repeals the requirement to work with the Committee and requires that the tests be approved or accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. All persons providing care under these provisions shall do so in accordance with state laws regarding consent to medical treatment. These provisions are identical to provisions in HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), SCS/SB 178 (2025), and SB 548 (2025), and substantially similar to provisions in HB 398 (2025), HB 803 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 943 (2025), HCS/SB 94 (2025), SCS/SB 314 (2025), HCS/HB 2413 (2024), and SB 1260 (2024). EXAMINATION OF HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS (Section 354.465) This act repeals the requirement that the Department of Commerce and Insurance examine health maintenance organizations at least once every 5 years. INSURANCE COVERAGE OF SELF-ADMINISTERED HORMONAL CONTRACEPTIVES (Section 376.1240) This act requires health benefit plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, that provide coverage for self-administered hormonal contraceptives, as defined in the act, to cover a supply of the contraceptives which is intended to last up to ninety days, or up to 180 days for a generic self-administered hormonal contraceptive. These provisions are similar to provisions in SCS/SB 178 (2025), HCS/SB 94 (2025), HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 943 (2025), HB 398 (2025), HCS/HB 2413 (2024), SB 821 (2024), SB 1321 (2024), SB 512 (2023), HB 287 (2023), SB 641 (2022), SB 472 (2021), HB 1373 (2021), and SB 346 (2019). CONTRACTS FOR HEALTH BENEFITS PROVIDED BY CERTAIN MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATIONS (Section 376.1850) This act provides that statutes governing health insurance shall not apply to contracts for health care benefits provided by a qualified membership organization, as such terms are defined in the act, to its members who have been members for at least 30 days, and that the qualified membership organization shall not be considered to be engaging in the business of insurance. Qualified membership organizations providing the contracts shall register with the Department as specified in the act. Contracts for health services under the act shall be sold, solicited, or negotiated only by insurance producers licensed to produce accident and health or sickness coverage. A qualified membership organization providing contracts as specified in the act shall use the services of a licensed third-party administrator, and shall agree in the contract with the administrator to be subject to certain processes for benefit determinations and claims payment procedures applicable to health carriers and health benefit plans as specified in the act. Contracts for health care benefits shall not be subject to the insurance laws of the state except as provided in the act. Financial risk under the contracts may be reinsured as provided by law. The contracts and related applications and renewal forms shall bear a disclaimer, as specified in the act, which shall be signed by the organization member. Contracts under the act shall not be subject to individual post-claim medical underwriting while coverage remains in effect, and members covered by the contracts shall not be subject to cancellation, nonrenewal, modification, or increase in premium for reason of a medical event. The Division of Consumer Affairs within the Department of Commerce and insurance shall receive and review complaints and inquiries from members of qualified membership organizations, and qualified membership organizations providing contracts under the act shall annually pay a fee to the Department as described in the act. Lastly, the act requires the qualified membership organizations to pay to the Department of Commerce and insurance a fee equal to 1% of the Missouri claims paid under the contracts during the preceding year, prohibits the organizations from referring to or marketing the contracts as insurance, and requires the contracts to include certain coverage. These provisions are similar to HB 366 (2025), SB 925 (2024), HB 2082 (2024), SS/SCS/SB 11 (2023), and HCS/HB 464 (2023). MAMMOGRAMS (repeal of Section 192.769) This act repeals a provision of current law requiring the provision of a specific notice to patients upon the completion of a mammogram. These provisions are identical to SB 232 (2025), and provisions in HB 398 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 943 (2025), HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), HCS/SB 94 (2025), SCS/SB 178 (2025), SCS/SB 317 (2025), HCS/HB 2413 (2024), and SB 1328 (2024). ERIC VANDER WEERD