The 2023 regular session of the Kentucky General Assembly, which is known as the 30-day “short session,” convened on Tuesday, January 3. Part I of the session is scheduled to conclude on January 6. Lawmakers will return for Part II on February 7 and must adjourn on or before March 30. KMA has been active throughout the months leading up to the legislative session laying the groundwork for the Association’s 2023 Legislative Priorities. These include:
- Prior Authorization Exemption: Prior authorization continues to negatively impact patients and providers by leading to delays in care, additional administrative burdens for physicians, and increased costs to the healthcare system. KMA supports legislation that establishes a prior authorization exemption program designed to automatically waive prior authorization requirements if a physician has historically been approved for a specific procedure/service most of the time.
- Physician Wellness: Many physicians and medical students are hesitant to seek counseling for career fatigue and other burnout-related issues for fear that they will have to disclose such information on licensure or credentialing applications. KMA supports legislation ensuring that when a physician seeks needed care through a wellness program, a record of a physician’s participation in such a program is confidential and has additional legal protections.
- Scope of Practice: A physician-led, team-based approach to health care is foundational to quality patient outcomes. KMA will pursue legislative action to grow the physician workforce and expand access and availability to the medically underserved parts of the Commonwealth while simultaneously opposing scope of practice efforts that would weaken the practice of medicine in the state. As part of this effort, KMA has launched “Kentucky Physicians Care,” a new public education campaign aimed at promoting the physician-led, team-based care model. More information about the campaign is available at kyphysicianscare.com.
KMA members will once again have the opportunity to meet with legislators and advocate for priority issues at the 2023 KMA Physicians’ Day at the Capitol (PDAC) on Wednesday, February 22 in Frankfort. Registration and the full schedule of events are available here. In preparation for your visit and additional grassroots advocacy throughout the legislative session, please visit the KMA Action Center to identify your House and Senate members using the “Find Officials” search feature.
Members can also stay engaged with developments throughout the session by signing up to receive KMA Legislative Text Alerts. The service is free and is available by texting “KMA” to 50457.
