During the 2023 Virginia General Assembly Session, Delegate Kathleen Murphy introduced HB2224 to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-1104 and 32.1-65 of the Code of Virginia, relating to newborn screening tests; Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services; fees prohibited. The bill, promulgated as Chapter 386 of the 2023 Virginia Acts of Assembly, directed the Department of Health (VDH) and the Department of General Services (DGS) to convene a workgroup (the Workgroup) to evaluate the current funding model for Virginia’s Newborn Screening Program (NBS Program). The bill directed the departments to report their findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by December 1, 2023.

An expert workgroup of stakeholders met from July to September 2023 to review the current funding model for newborn screenings, hear presentations from other state newborn screening programs on alternative funding models, and allow for public comment and input from the workgroup members. The findings of the Workgroup’s evaluation of newborn screening program funding models are listed below.

FINDINGS

The priority of the Workgroup was to ensure that cost was not a barrier for newborn screening and that all babies born in the Commonwealth of Virginia receive a newborn screening test. The Workgroup issued a stakeholder survey on the current NBS funding model, evaluated seven different potential funding models, and concluded that:

1. There is currently a lack of consensus on reimbursement for newborn screenings and wide variations in reimbursement amount across providers. The Workgroup identified areas of opportunity for training and technical assistance regarding proper newborn screening collection and billing.

2. All of the NBS Program funding models that the Workgroup assessed have their own unique advantages and disadvantages, and the best model for Virginia will depend on the priorities of the General Assembly. As a result, the Workgroup does not recommend a specific newborn screening program funding model. The Workgroup has included their analysis of each model in this report.