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PRINTER'S NO. 988
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 850
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY BAKER, KANE, PENNYCUICK, J. WARD, HAYWOOD,
SANTARSIERO, COSTA, CAPPELLETTI, STEFANO AND VOGEL,
JUNE 24, 2025
REFERRED TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, JUNE 24, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of November 3, 2022 (P.L.2135, No.150),
entitled "An act providing for blood lead assessment and
testing of certain children and pregnant women by health care
providers; imposing duties on the Department of Health; and
requiring certain health insurance policies to cover blood
lead tests," further providing for legislative purpose, for
definitions, for lead poisoning prevention, assessment and
testing and for blood lead assessment and testing coverage.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 3(3) of the act of November 3, 2022
(P.L.2135, No.150), known as the Childhood Blood Lead Test Act,
is amended to read:
Section 3. Legislative purpose.
The purposes of this act are:
* * *
(3) To [encourage] require the testing of all children
in this Commonwealth by two years of age so that prompt
diagnosis and treatment, as well as the prevention of harm,
are possible.
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Section 2. Section 4 of the act is amended by adding a
definition to read:
Section 4. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
* * *
"Cost-sharing." As follows:
(1) The share of the health care costs covered by a
health insurance policy that an insured pays out of pocket.
(2) The term includes deductibles, coinsurance,
copayments and similar charges.
(3) The term does not include premiums, balance billed
amounts from an out-of-network health care provider or the
cost of noncovered services.
* * *
Section 3. Section 5 heading and (a) of the act are amended
and the section is amended by adding subsections to read:
Section 5. Lead poisoning prevention, assessment and testing
requirements.
[(a) Lead testing for children.--
(1) The following apply:
(i) A health care provider shall consider possible
lead exposure in an individual patient by evaluating risk
factors for lead exposure and perform blood lead testing
in accordance with recommendations from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy
of Pediatrics by 24 months of age.
(ii) If a patient has never been tested in
accordance with recommendations from the Centers for
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Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy
of Pediatrics by 24 months of age, a health care provider
shall consider possible lead exposure and perform blood
lead testing in an individual patient between 24 months
and 72 months of age.
(iii) A health care provider shall make reasonable
efforts to ensure that a patient's parent or legal
guardian understands the risks and benefits of blood lead
testing prior to obtaining consent.
(2) If a patient's parent or legal guardian consents to
blood lead testing for the patient under paragraph (1) and
the results of a capillary blood lead test indicate an
elevated blood lead level, the health care provider shall
perform a confirmatory blood lead test by venipuncture within
12 weeks of the first blood lead test after obtaining the
consent of the patient's parent or legal guardian.]
(a.1) Lead testing requirements for children.--
(1) A health care provider shall make reasonable efforts
to ensure that a patient under the health care provider's
care receives at least one blood lead test by 24 months of
age or the age of 24 through 72 months if the patient has
never been tested.
(2) If the results of a capillary blood lead test
indicate an elevated blood lead level, the health care
provider shall perform a confirmatory blood lead test in
accordance with recommendations from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention .
* * *
(d) Nonapplicability.--The requirements under this section
shall not apply if a child's parent or legal guardian or a
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patient under prenatal care objects to the blood lead test .
Section 4. Section 7 of the act is amended to read:
Section 7. Blood lead assessment and testing coverage.
(a) General rule.--A health insurance policy or government
program covered under this section shall provide to covered
individuals or recipients blood lead tests as follows:
(1) In the case of individuals or recipients who are
pregnant, one blood lead test per pregnancy if a single risk
factor is identified in accordance with recommendations from
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [and the
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists].
(2) In the case of individuals or recipients who are:
(i) under two years of age, at least one blood lead
test by 24 months of age. [in accordance with
recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics and,
if]
(ii) the age of 24 through 72 months, at least one
blood lead test by the age of 72 months if the individual
or recipient has never been tested.
(3) If the result of the blood level test under
paragraph (1) or (2) indicates an elevated blood lead level,
another blood lead test [by venipuncture within 12 weeks of
the blood level test in which the elevated blood lead level
was indicated.] to confirm the blood lead level in accordance
with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
(b) [Copayments, deductibles and coinsurance.--Coverage
under this section shall be subject to copayment, deductible and
coinsurance provisions and any other general exclusions or
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limitations of a health insurance policy or government program
to the same extent as other medical services covered by the
policy or program are subject to these provisions.] Cost
sharing.--A blood lead test covered under subsection (a) may not
be subject to cost-sharing.
(c) Construction.--This section shall not be construed as
limiting benefits which are otherwise available to an individual
under a health insurance policy or government program.
Section 5. The amendment of section 7 of the act shall apply
as follows:
(1) For health insurance policies for which either rates
or forms are required to be filed with the Insurance
Department or the Federal Government, the amendment of
section 7 of the act shall apply to any policy for which a
form or rate is first filed on or after the effective date of
this section.
(2) For health insurance policies for which neither
rates nor forms are required to be filed with the Insurance
Department or the Federal Government, the amendment of
section 7 of the act shall apply to any policy issued or
renewed on or after 180 days after the effective date of this
section.
Section 6. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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