Comments Document

January 23, 2023 The Honorable Kathy Byron, Chair House Commerce and Energy Committee 900 E Main St Richmond, VA 23219 Dear Chair Byron and Members of the House Commerce and Energy Committee,  The Virginia Association of Hematologists and Oncologists (VAHO) and the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) are pleased to support HB 1471, which requires health insurance carriers to establish and maintain an electronic prior authorization process. VAHO is a professional organization whose mission is to help foster the highest quality of cancer care in the state of Virginia. VAHO members are a community of oncologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other allied health professionals deeply involved in care of our cancer patients. ASCO is a national organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. With nearly 45,000 members, our core mission is to ensure that cancer patients have meaningful access to high quality, equitable cancer care. VAHO and ASCO are committed to supporting policies that reduce cost while preserving quality of cancer care; however, it is critical that such policies be developed and implemented in a way that does not undermine patient access. Payer utilization management approaches like prior authorization are of particular concern because they represent greater likelihood of raising barriers to appropriate care for individuals with cancer. Time-consuming, labor-intensive prior authorization processes add significantly to burdens already facing physicians and patients. While many prior authorizations may be initiated electronically via individual payer portals, subsequent interactions and requests for additional information are frequently conducted via fax or phone, leading to delayed communication, slower response times, and delays in patient care. A 2021 study from the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (CAQH) found that only 26% of prior authorization requests are handled fully electronically, while 35% were fully manual (submitted by phone, fax, e-mail, or mail). Although barriers imposed by prior authorization will not be resolved solely by implementing an electronic process, electronic prior authorization has the potential to improve transparency and efficiency and reduce physician burden, and we urge the Committee to pass this bill. For a more detailed understanding of our policy recommendations on this issue, we invite you to read the ASCO Position Statement: Prior Authorization. If you have any questions about prior authorization, please do not hesitate to contact Sarah Lanford at Sarah.Lanford@asco.org. Sincerely,  Richard Ingram, MD President Virginia Association of Hematologists and Oncologists Lori J. Pierce, MD, FASTRO, FASCO President Association for Clinical Oncology

Freedom Virginia strongly supports this bill

SALT's 1300 members appreciate the opportunity to support SB1875. We speak today because of the heartbreaking stories we have heard from many of our SALT advocates, faith communities representatives and nonprofit social services representatives that work directly with low-income working poor and impoverished in our state, namely those who have difficulty in paying their energy bills and frequently require help in making payment. We believe in the interest of wanting to see them restored to a productive life and to be able to get a job and support their families and to be involved in their communities in a positive way--to be future regular paying customer's of utilities. support SB1875. thank you

HB1875 - I am highly suspicious of any blanket “disability” clause. Too open ended. HB2035 - Too expensive. Businesses are trying to stay afloat, this will hurt them further. If the economy gets better, but with a bad recession coming, it will not be positive. HB1854 - For this, as long as the public can see the reports. HB2366 - Way too expensive. $12K & then meds can be $5K. That would hurt a lot of places trying to pay for that.

I would like for you to hear me please. I was molested at the age of 5 years old, because my mother wanted her drugs amd men more than me. I was 10 years when I started using drugs and alcohol. By 11 I was told by my grandmother where my mom was so I Hitch hike from. CHICAGO to Cleveland to find her. I dropped out of school in the 6th grade the streets taught me how to read and write. The state trooper picked me up and did a APB for my mom. When found she told them that's not my child you can do whatever you want with her. Now I'm homeless, on drugs amd my parents doesn't want me. I remember being in that bathroom when a GROWN man forced me on my knees and said to me " You're not a little girl anymore you are a grown woman. For 2 weeks in that apartment all the men had their way with me. Now I was being sexually exploited. For 31 years I lived this way. I walked around with 8 pairs of socks because I never had any shoes. My childhood was taken away from me. I can never get that back. There are so many young kids out there who can be saved save them. As of August 6th 2010 which is my date of Grace 2019 I got my High school diploma, graduated college with my associates degree in social work in 2022, I am a publisher author of 31 Years in the Desert, many accomplishments. I will never be able to have children physically this is another reason I stand and not be silent. After 31 Years of hell I walk with my head held high. Something needs to be done to the sex traffickers, not the victims. Why should we be punished with felony records, can't get housing in a neighborhood like you live in. I had to pay double rent because I had prostitution charges. Where is the justice? I hope whoever reads this finds it in their hearts to make the right decisions moving forward. Thank you Castanita Fitzpatrick A Butterfly Gets Her Wings Back LLC. 214.535.3034 abutterflygetsherwings@gmail.com

Comments Document

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) submits the following testimony to the Committee on Commerce and Energy Subcommittee 2 in opposition to HB 2201 regarding premium rate adjustments for Association Health Plans. We agree that it is critical to ensure that affordable health insurance coverage is available to every Virginian who needs it, but we remain concerned that association health plans – or AHPs – are not the right solution. House Bill 2201 would open the door for an AHP to charge higher premiums to individual employers based on the health spending of their employees. In other words, despite forming an association to pool and share risk across all members, this would allow AHPs to effectively punish member-employers and their workers for using their insurance - thus increasing health insurance costs for patients who truly need treatment. Put simply, this bill will let association health plans charge sick people more just for being sick. We share concerns over the affordability of health coverage, and we are eager to work together to find ways to ensure that patients and consumers can afford the best possible plans for themselves and their families – plans that provide the right coverage at the right time, and where affordability considers not only premiums but also out-of-pocket costs. However, this change would serve to further price out vulnerable Virginians who need health services the most.