Literature Review

Legacy even in defeat? Nursing home experts anxious about next moves on staffing efforts McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Kimberly Marselas; 4/21/25 Two weeks after a judge struck down federal staffing standards for all US nursing homes, questions about the rule’s future continue to swirl within the industry. Will the government appeal the District Court’s ruling in Texas and continue to fight for regulations that would force nursing homes to create more than 100,000 new jobs in coming years? How will a judge hearing a similar challenge in Iowa interpret similar arguments, and what happens if the rulings conflict with one another? ... Regardless of whether the rule goes away, industry insiders have one clear expectation: Its legacy will continue to chafe nursing home leaders, who will still face intense pressure to recruit quality staff and improve patient care.

Federal court strikes down minimum staffing rule: The details you might not know behind the decisionMcKnights Long-Term Care News; by Neville M. Bilimoria; 4/21/25On April 7, 2025, the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas struck down the federal minimum staffing Final Rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This was incredibly good news for nursing homes across the country for a variety of reasons ... The opinion from District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk outlined the many laws and regulations America’s nursing homes are subject to in the healthcare arena, but it also recounted some deep history behind minimum staffing efforts that were previously unsuccessful, both by HHS and Congress.  ...

What's at stake if CDC's Infection Control Practices Committee is cut MedPage Today; by Alexander Sundermann, DrPH; 4/17/25 Whether you are placing a central line, managing a Clostridioides difficile case, or keeping a surgical field sterile, you're likely following standards influenced by the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC). While it may not be widely known outside of infection prevention circles, HICPAC plays a central role in shaping the evidence-based guidelines that frontline clinicians use every day to protect both patients and healthcare workers. ... Frontline clinicians ... rely on HICPAC guidance every day. Its recommendations shape the protocols used to prevent device-related infections, respond to emerging outbreaks, and meet regulatory and accreditation requirements. ...Eliminating HICPAC wouldn't just slow progress -- it would erode the foundation of infection prevention in U.S. healthcare.

Florida lawmakers unanimously approve bill to make medical marijuana cards free for military veterans Marijuana Moments; by Ben Adlin; 4/15/25 A Florida House panel on Tuesday unanimously approved a bill that would exempt military veterans from state registration fees for medical marijuana cards, allowing them to obtain the certifications for free. ... If HB 555 becomes law, the changes would take effect July 1.

Attorney General Platkin co-leads multistate effort to protect Affordable Care Act from attack State of New Jersey - Department of Law & Public Safety, Trenton, NJ; Press Release by the Office of the Attorney General, Matthew J. Platkin; 4/14/25  Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, along with the Attorneys General of California and Massachusetts, co-led a multistate letter regarding a raft of proposed changes that would undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA), making it more difficult and expensive for individuals to enroll in health coverage on federal and state exchanges. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that would make a number of regulatory changes impacting access to insurance via the ACA. If allowed to take effect, the proposed changes would reduce access to ACA exchanges and risk causing between 750,000 and two million Americans to lose health insurance coverage in 2026. That would impose harms on States and their residents, both insured and uninsured, as when more individuals are forced to go without insurance, costs are driven up for everyone.

Medicare and Medicaid officials finalize rule to clarify that medical marijuana isn’t covered by federal health programsMarijuana Moment; by Kyle Jaeger; 4/8/25 The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized a rule to clarify that marijuana products are not eligible for coverage under certain health plans for chronically ill patients because “they are illegal substances under Federal law.” In a notice set to be published in the Federal Register next week, CMS said that a series of policy and technical changes for its Medicare Advantage (MA) program and other services, including rulemaking related to cannabis products, will now take effect on June 3.[Continue reading ...]

Executive orders and policy updates JD Supra; by Jones Day; 4/3/25 Since President Trump's inauguration, the Trump administration has issued a number of executive orders and policy actions ... Notable actions include rescinding Biden-era initiatives on health care access and equity, withdrawing from the World Health Organization, reducing indirect costs for NIH grants, and suspending foreign aid. While many of these actions may be subject to ongoing litigation, which is not addressed here, summaries of certain of these executive orders and policy actions are included below. ...

US Supreme Court rejects medical marijuana firm's bid to avoid racketeering suit Reuters, Washington, DC; by John Kruzel; 4/2/25 The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday against Medical Marijuana Inc (MJNA.PK), opens new tab in its bid to fend off a lawsuit by a commercial truck driver who was fired for failing a drug test after taking cannabidiol, or CBD, that he said was falsely sold as lacking the psychoactive ingredient present in marijuana. The justices, in a 5-4 decision authored by conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, upheld a lower court's ruling that had allowed plaintiff Douglas Horn to bring a civil lawsuit against the San Diego-based company under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. [Continue reading ...]

Iowa introduces "Mason's Law" to become 1st state to have a pediatric palliative care center license Cision PRWeb, Des Moines, IA; by Children's Respite Homes of America; 3/31/25 In a historic move, the Iowa State Legislature has taken a groundbreaking step to support families with medically fragile children by introducing House File HF 933 (formerly HSB 267). This legislation, known as "Mason's Law," would make Iowa the first state in the nation to establish a dedicated "Pediatric Palliative Care Center" license, laying the foundation for a new model of care for children with chronic, complex, and life- threatening illnesses.

How Illinois plans to fine tune end-of-life, palliative care Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 3/27/25 The State of Illinois legislature is advancing bills that would provide additional support for patients nearing the end of life. The Illinois General Assembly’s House of Representatives has advanced four bills related to hospice and palliative care that were recently cleared by a legislative committee. They pertain to issues like medication delivery, advance care planning and end-of-life care for incarcerated individuals, among others. Rep. Nicolle Grasse, a Democrat, sponsored each of the bills, which have garnered bipartisan support. [Continue reading ...]

Harmonizing federal and Florida laws on prescribing controlled substances through telehealth JD Supra; by Jeremy Burnette, Martin Dix, and John Hood; 3/24/25 Practitioners who want to prescribe controlled substances via telehealth to patients in Florida must meet the requirements of both federal and state law. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Florida legislature have recently amended the applicable federal regulations and state laws, respectively, to allow the prescribing of controlled substances via telehealth[*] without conducting an in-person evaluation under certain circumstances. There are key differences between federal and state law, so practitioners prescribing controlled substances via telehealth to patients in Florida should be aware of the particular requirements of each. [Continue reading ...]

Delaware House passes end-of-life option bill for terminally ill adults ABC Action News 6, Dover, DE; by 6abc Digital Staff; 3/20/25 Currently, medical aid for euthanasia is legal in 10 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Delaware's House of Representatives has passed a bill giving some terminally ill residents the right to take their life. The bill allows mentally capable adult residents, who have been given a prognosis of six months or less to live, the option to request and obtain life-ending medication. The bill now heads to the Senate. ... Now, for the 10th time, Delaware lawmakers are trying once again to get the bill passed. ... Governor Matt Meyer has signaled his support if the bill passes the Senate,  ...