The bill establishes an advance universal newborn screening program under the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which will oversee the administration of the program and provide educational resources regarding various genetic conditions. It amends existing laws to expand the range of conditions screened for, as determined by the secretary of health and environment, and mandates that all infants born in the state receive these screenings at no cost. The bill also outlines a follow-up program for infants with abnormal results, including monitoring and treatment options, and creates a registry for tracking cases. Additionally, it increases state financial assistance to local health departments and modifies the annual assessment on hospital services, raising the maximum rate from 3% to 6% of net inpatient and outpatient revenue.

Moreover, the bill amends K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 65-6209 and K.S.A. 65-6210 to provide exemptions from certain assessments for specific types of hospitals, including state agencies and critical access hospitals with revenues below a designated threshold. It modifies the payment schedule for assessments, changing due dates from June 30 and December 31 to May 30 and November 30, and establishes conditions for hospitals to receive written notice of approved payment methodologies before payments are due. The bill also introduces provisions for delayed payment schedules for financially struggling hospitals and outlines penalties for late payments, specifying that payments will first be credited to unpaid installment amounts. Additionally, it repeals several existing statutes related to hospital assessments to streamline the legal framework governing these payments. The act will take effect upon publication in the statute book.

Statutes affected:
H Sub for: 38-2001, 65-180, 65-181, 65-1626, 65-183, 65-242, 65-6208, 65-6209, 65-6210
Enrolled: 65-180, 65-6208, 65-6209, 65-181, 65-1626, 65-183, 65-242, 65-6210