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All posts tagged with “Public Policy News.”
Laws in motion to bring ‘Right to Try’ psychedelics at end-of-life
05/27/24 at 03:00 AMLaws in motion to bring ‘Right to Try’ psychedelics at end-of-life Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 5/21/24Hospice providers are navigating an evolving landscape of laws opening up pathways of access around psychedelic utilization at the end of life. Despite mounting evidence that psychedelics can improve experiences and reduce symptom burden in some terminally ill patients, these drugs remain difficult to access for those wishing to utilize them. Some states and the federal government have considered legislation that would establish a “right to try” psychedelics and other experimental interventions for certain seriously ill patients.
Hospital staffing shortages draws hundreds to California rally
05/27/24 at 03:00 AMHospital staffing shortages draws hundreds to California rally AFSCME, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees; by UNANC/UHCP and AFSCME International Staff; 5/21/24 SACRAMENTO, Calif. – More than 400 health care union members went to the California state Capitol during National Nurses Week this month to appeal to the state’s elected leaders to fix the nursing education backlog and hospital staffing issues that affect patient care. ... Rally participants pressed lawmakers to make health care education and training programs more accessible so students remain in their California communities for their health care careers. They also appealed to lawmakers to empower health care professionals to enforce safe staffing standards in the state’s hospitals.Editor's Note: Pair this article with others in today's issue, in our "Education" section.
Medical aid in dying bill didn’t cross finish line this MN Legislature session
05/24/24 at 03:00 AMMedical aid in dying bill didn’t cross finish line this MN Legislature session Twin Cities Pioneer Press; by Dene K. Dryden; 5/22/24 Despite advancing through several House committees, Minnesota’s End-of-Life Option Act did not receive a floor vote in the House or Senate during the 2024 legislative session, which ended earlier this week. The legislation, co-authored by Rep. Andy Smith, DFL-Rochester, and Sen. Liz Boldon, DFL-Rochester, would have permitted medical aid in dying, also known as physician-assisted suicide. The measure would have allowed terminally ill adults to request a prescription for life-ending medication, which they would have to self-administer.
Senate ramps up push to reform doctors' Medicare pay
05/23/24 at 03:00 AMSenate ramps up push to reform doctors' Medicare pay Modern Healthcare; by Michael Mcauliff; 5/20/24Declining doctors' pay in Medicare is getting its most serious look in nearly a decade in the Senate, with a bipartisan push launched Friday by the Senate Finance Committee. Doctors have grown especially vocal in recent years about falling Medicare reimbursement. Groups including the American Medical Association have estimated doctors were effectively getting paid 26% less in 2023 than in 2001 because the physician fee schedule set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is not adjusted for inflation. Physicians have also called for more flexibility within the pay system.
NAHC hails legislation to extend Hospital at Home Waiver Program
05/22/24 at 03:00 AMNAHC hails legislation to extend Hospital at Home Waiver Program NAHC Newsroom - National Association for Home Care & Hospice; Press Release; 5/20/24 The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) applauds the introduction in the United States Senate of the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, bipartisan legislation sponsored by Sen. Thomas Carper (D-De) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) to extend the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver program for five years. The Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver program is due to expire on December 31, 2024, but this legislation would extend it for five additional years.
Senate kills bill allowing medical aid in dying
05/21/24 at 03:00 AMSenate kills bill allowing medical aid in dyingConcord Monitor; by Sruthi Gopalakrishnan; 5/16/24After months of intense public debate, with Granite Staters on both sides of the legislation that would allow medical aid in dying, packing the room at every public hearing, the Senate voted on Thursday to kill the bill.
VA Committee leaders unveil bipartisan veterans package
05/17/24 at 03:00 AMVA Committee leaders unveil bipartisan veterans packageHouse Committee on Veterans' Affairs; by Kathleen McCarthy; 5/14/24 House and Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs leaders Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.), Chairman Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), introduced H.R. 8371, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act. This legislation includes a number of bipartisan and bicameral proposals to reform and improve the delivery of healthcare, benefits, and services at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for veterans, their families, and their survivors. ... The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act is supported by a growing list of the following organizations: The American Legion [TAL] ... Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), ... Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), ... National PACE Association, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), Hospice Action Network (HAN), and [many more].
House Committee vote gives hope to extending telehealth, hospital at home waivers
05/13/24 at 03:00 AMHouse Committee vote gives hope to extending telehealth, hospital at home waivers Health Leaders; by Eric Wicklund; 5/9/24 The House Ways and Means Committee has voted to advance the Preserving Telehealth, Hospital and Ambulance Access Act (HR 8261), which would, among other things, continue pandemic-era Medicare waivers enacted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for telehealth access and coverage through 2026 and extend the CMS Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver for an additional five years, to the end of 2029.
Lawmakers press nursing home chains on corporate spending amid staffing rule fight
05/09/24 at 03:00 AMLawmakers press nursing home chains on corporate spending amid staffing rule fight The Hill; by Nathaniel Weixel; 5/6/24Congressional Democrats demanded information about the corporate spending by the operators of three of the country’s largest public, for-profit nursing homes, after the companies said they can’t afford the Biden administration’s new minimum staffing threshold. In letters sent to the companies Sunday, ... [they] pressed for information about buyouts, dividends, and salaries to executives and shareholders. The lawmakers aim to contrast that with the salaries for nurses and nursing aides, amid widespread industry opposition to the new staffing requirements because they are too costly.
Wide-ranging health care bill gets final approval from CT House
05/08/24 at 03:00 AMWide-ranging health care bill gets final approval from CT House CT Mirror - Connecticut's Nonprofit Journalism; by Jenna Carlesso; 5/6/24The House gave final passage Monday to a wide-ranging health care bill that would add protections for home care workers, boost preparedness for cyberattacks at medical facilities and establish new regulations for the state’s health information exchange, among other reforms. ... The sections on additional protections for home care workers were prompted by the murder of visiting nurse Joyce Grayson, who was killed in October while working at a halfway house in Willimantic. ... The bill requires home health aide agencies to collect certain client information upon intake and make it available to any employee assigned to the client. Information includes a history of violence against health care workers, domestic abuse, substance use, psychiatric history, any listing on a sex offender registry, the crime rate of the municipality the person lives in, and whether there are any weapons or safety hazards in the home. [Click on the title's link for more important information about this bill's safety measures.]
Is pot legal now? Despite big marijuana news, it's still in legal limbo.
05/03/24 at 03:00 AMIs pot legal now? Despite big marijuana news, it's still in legal limbo. USA Today; by Joel Shannon and Jeanine Santucci; 5/1/24 Tuesday brought big marijuana news: The Biden Administration is expected to soon reclassify marijuana for the first time in decades, putting it in a less restrictive drug category that would allow it to be studied and prescribed more easily. But that news comes in a nation where many states have already crafted their own marijuana policy: Some states allow for it to be prescribed already; others allow people to use it recreationally. Few states ban it outright. ... Here's what to know.
Physician-Assisted Suicide Bill recommended by second committee in Massachusetts legislature
05/03/24 at 03:00 AMPhysician-Assisted Suicide Bill recommended by second committee in Massachusetts legislature New Boston Post; 5/1/24 A bill that would legalize physician-assisted suicide has gotten a favorable vote from a second legislative committee, ... This is the earliest in the state’s two-year legislative session that the bill has been recommended by the Joint Committee on Public Health, and it’s the first time the bill has made it out of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, said Melissa Stacy, Northeast regional advocacy manager for Compassion & Choices, according to MASSterList.
Kansas won't have legal medical pot or expand Medicaid for at least another year
04/30/24 at 03:00 AMKansas won't have legal medical pot or expand Medicaid for at least another year Newsday; by The Associated Press; 4/26/24 Kansas will remain among the handful of states that haven't legalized the medical use of marijuana or expanded their Medicaid programs for at least another year. Republican state senators on Friday blocked efforts to force debates on both issues before the GOP-controlled Legislature's scheduled adjournment for the year Tuesday. Supporters of each measure fell short of the 24 of 40 votes required to pull a bill on each subject out of committee.
Congresswoman Kat Cammack introduces legislation to block 80-20 Rule
04/30/24 at 03:00 AMCongresswoman Kat Cammack introduces legislation to block 80-20 Rule Home Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 4/26/24 ... On Thursday, Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) introduced a bill to block the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from finalizing the 80-20 provision. Additionally, the legislation would also block HHS from implementing any similar rules that place a minimum requirement for how much of Medicaid spending on HCBS goes towards direct workers’ wages. Cammack’s reason for introducing this legislation is her belief that the 80-20 provision will severely limit access to care at a time when providers are already struggling to serve patients.
Remedy or gateway drug? Doctors, police differ on path forward for medical marijuana
04/29/24 at 03:00 AMRemedy or gateway drug? Doctors, police differ on path forward for medical marijuana The State; by Anna Wilder; 4/25/24 Medical marijuana blurs lines across law enforcement and the medical community, where advocates and opponents don’t agree whether it is a gateway drug or necessary medical device. With days left in the 2024 session, [South Carolina] House members are hearing from doctors, law enforcement, researchers, pharmacists and others on the highly contested issue. Out of 17 speakers at a Ad Hoc committee meeting Tuesday, eight opposed the bill, nine supported it and one was relatively indifferent.
Death with dignity or slippery slope? [NH] Senate committee hears end-of-life bill testimony
04/29/24 at 03:00 AMDeath with dignity or slippery slope? Senate committee hears end-of-life bill testimonySeacoastline, Portsmouth (NH); by Margie Cullen; 4/25/24... The bill has sparked passions as it has made its way through the New Hampshire Legislature. It passed the House in March by just three votes. The hearing Wednesday was its first in the Senate and is likely to be its last public hearing before going to the Senate floor for a vote. The committee did not vote on whether to recommend the bill Wednesday. The bill has transcended typical party lines, with both Democrats and Republicans voting for and against the bill in the House. On Wednesday, Smith was joined by Rep. Bob Lynn, R-Windham, a cosponsor of the bill, in introducing it to the Senate committee.
1st state passes law to decriminalize medical errors
04/29/24 at 02:15 AM1st state passes law to decriminalize medical errors Becker's Hospital Review; by Erica Carbajal; 4/25/24Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear recently signed a bill into law that shields healthcare providers from being criminally charged for medical errors, making it the first state to do so. HB 159 ensures that healthcare providers, including nurses, "shall be immune from criminal liability for any harm or damages alleged to arise from an act or omission relating to the provision of health services." It includes exceptions for negligence and intentional harm. ... In wake of [this article's cited] case, nurses and medical groups nationwide — including the American Nurses Association and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement — have called for systemwide workforce and safety reforms to focus on harm prevention, arguing that the criminalization of errors would discourage workers from reporting mistakes. ... The Kentucky Hospital Association said it supports the new law.
Across the nation, the fight’s on to protect physician-led care
04/29/24 at 02:00 AMAcross the nation, the fight’s on to protect physician-led careAmerican Medical Association - AMA; by Kevin B. O'Reilly; 4/25/24After helping state medical associations and national specialty societies defeat more than 100 bills to inappropriately expand nonphysicians’ scope of practice in 2023, the AMA is again relentlessly joining its allies in organized medicine to continue the fight for physician-led, team-based care in this year’s legislative session. This intensive and effective advocacy effort has ranged across the country, as the AMA has helped battle scope creep in Alaska, Connecticut, Georgia, Oklahoma, New Hampshire and elsewhere.
New York State Bar Association backs expansion of end-of-life-options
04/25/24 at 03:00 AMNew York State Bar Association backs expansion of end-of-life-options Brooklyn Daily Eagle - Courts and Law, by Robert Abruzzese; 4/23/24 The New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) has endorsed the Medical Society of the State of New York's recent support for medical aid in dying. ... The proposed New York bill (A995a/S2445), which will be considered in the 2024 legislative session, includes comprehensive safeguards to ensure that the process is voluntary, informed and free from coercion. These include the confirmation of terminal illness by two independent physicians, mandatory mental health evaluations if needed and detailed counseling on all available end-of-life care options. ...
Lawmakers mull bills to ensure hospice, home health worker safety
04/23/24 at 03:00 AMLawmakers mull bills to ensure hospice, home health worker safety Hospice News, by Holly Vossel; 4/19/24 Lawmakers in Connecticut and Vermont have recently introduced legislation aimed at protecting hospice and home health workers. Some stakeholders worry that the laws may impact care continuity among vulnerable homebound terminally ill populations lacking end-of-life support.
Legislation allowing doctor-assisted suicide narrowly clears Delaware House, heads to state Senate
04/22/24 at 03:00 AMLegislation allowing doctor-assisted suicide narrowly clears Delaware House, heads to state Senate
'Speak Up & Speak Out,' LeadingAge members head to the Hill on Lobby Day 2024
04/19/24 at 03:00 AM'Speak Up & Speak Out,' LeadingAge members head to the Hill on Lobby Day 2024 HomeCare; 4/18/24 Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) joined Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO of LeadingAge, and hundreds of the association’s nonprofit and mission-driven members for the kick-off of annual Lobby Day activities. More than 225 LeadingAge members, who serve older adults and families nationwide in a range of care settings and community types, ... headed to Capitol Hill on Wednesday, April 17 ... [Leading Age members] visited their elected officials in the House and Senate to discuss critical aging services issues to ensure older adults and families can access the care and services they need to age with dignity, including [but not limited to]:
One-third of West Virginians may soon have a harder time getting health care after lawmakers declined to fully fund Medicaid
04/19/24 at 03:00 AMOne-third of West Virginians may soon have a harder time getting health care after lawmakers declined to fully fund Medicaid Mountain State Spotlight, by Erin Beck; 4/18/24Across West Virginia, it’s already hard for many people to access health care. And unless state lawmakers change the budget they passed last month, it’s about to get even more difficult, especially for people who live in the most rural areas and those considered lower income. Starting in July, at the start of the next fiscal year, West Virginia officials will be forced to dramatically cut the state’s Medicaid budget. Roughly one-third of the state’s population relies on the government health insurance program. ... [Lawmakers] gave the program about $150 million less than was needed.
Mississippi Capitol sees second day of hundreds rallying for ‘full Medicaid expansion now’
04/19/24 at 03:00 AMMississippi Capitol sees second day of hundreds rallying for ‘full Medicaid expansion now’Mississippi Today - Legislature; by Bobby Harrison and Geoff Pender; 4/17/24Hundreds of people rallied at the Mississippi Capitol for a second day Wednesday, urging lawmakers to expand Medicaid to provide health coverage for an estimated 200,000 Mississippians. ... Speakers recounted their struggles with access to affordable health care in Mississippi and chanted for the Legislature to, “Close the coverage gap now,” and for “Full Medicaid expansion now.” ... [Dr. Randy] Easterling recounted a story of two of his friends diagnosed with similar cancers. One was uninsured and self-employed, and did not get early diagnosis or treatment. He’s now in hospice and on death’s door. The other friend, with insurance, received an early diagnosis and treatment and is now cancer free.
Outlook dims for resolution of eased telehealth payments and rules
04/19/24 at 03:00 AMOutlook dims for resolution of eased telehealth payments and rules McKnights Senior Living, by John O'Connor; 4/16/24 The general consensus was clear during a recent House hearing aimed at addressing the temporary easing of policies and payments: Telehealth as a concept is here to stay. But as a year-end deadline to either reinforce or discard numerous COVID-era stopgap measures approaches, resolution is hardly in reach.