LINCOLN- On Tuesday, the Nebraska Legislature took a short break in its Democrat-led logjam to advance a bill that would create a new payment framework for behavioral health and substance abuse service providers. The bill, LB276 introduced by Sen. Anna Wishart, would also allow qualifying providers to seek daily or monthly reimbursements for certain treatments, a move expected to increase the hiring of staff and allow for more timely care.

Wishart and other senators said that the bill would help fill gaps in communities where access to these types of care is lacking, and will provide more holistic treatment opportunities for those who need them. While a majority of Nebraska senators supported the bill, however, it was held up during the weeks-long filibuster of Sen. Kauth's LB574, which would ban transgender youths in Nebraska from receiving gender-affirming care.

Following Tuesday's passage of Sen. Erdman's rule change, State Sens. Machaela Cavanaugh and Megan Hunt removed a handful of motions and amendments from Sen. WIshart's bill, clearing the path for its passage and eventually advancing it on a 46-0 vote. If passed through two more rounds of debate, the bill will expand outpatient mental health and substance abuse services, outpatient clinic primary care screening, and psychiatric rehabilitation services.

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