November 1, 2001 Legislation 

 

New CA Health Legislation

Vetoed CA Health Legislation

State Fines

Denial of Care

Virginia On-Line

West Virginia Malpractice Crisis

Medicare Increases

NC Punishes On-Line Doctor

New CA Health Legislation

The following are some of the laws signed by Governor Davis in the health arena.

The California physicians will be forced by law signed by the governor to take courses in pain management.  The law also requires the medical board to track complaints regarding physician's handling of pain and that these complaints are reviewed by a pain specialist.  All California physicians will have four years to complete this requirement.  Courses will be developed by the state's medical schools and the county medical societies.

SB 108 establish an organ and donor
        registry,  if enough donations
        are raised, since no State money  
        is to be used.   The State is 
        broke.      
SB 780 makes a misdemeanor to 
        threaten or attack an abortion 
        clinic or clinic worker.
SB 1169 allows pharmacists to 
        dispense emergency 
        contraception without a prescription.
        This will require a special training 
        course.        
AB 25 expands legal benefits including
        medical for domestic partners.
        This includes the registration of 
        domestic partners and allowing
        the partner to make medical 
        decisions in the other partner is 
        incapacitated. Heterosexuals who
        have one partner over age 62 may 
        also register to allow them to 
        retain their social security or 
        Medicare benefits which would 
        be lost if they re-married.
AB 215 requires the state to cover health
        premiums for the spouses of police
        or fire fighters killed in the line of 
        duty.
SB 680 requires the Office of Statewide 
        Planning to provide an annual 
        report on hospital CABG outcomes.
        This is mandatory reporting by the 
        hospitals.

Vetoed Healthcare Legislation

Many of the vetoes are due to the state's fiscal problems related to the energy crisis.

AB 367 to require pre-high school 
        physical education testing.
AB 900 required counties with provider 
        reimbursement funds to notify 
        providers of the fund and how to 
        make claims.
 SB 117 would have allowed the
        Department of Managed Health
        to require a health plan that 
        violated claims payment laws with 
        respect to emergency services
        to assume responsibility and pay
        on a fee for service basis.
 AB 1147 would have restored $2.64
        million to the DHS for maternal 
        and child health services on the 
        county basis.

State Fines 

Pennsylvania has fined St. Agnes Hospital $447,000 for laboratory testing failures on blood-clotting tests that resulted in three patient deaths and potential injury to about 800 others.  St. Agnes will be allowed to keep some of the fine to pay for improved oversight and monitoring of its laboratory, do staff training and do community health initiatives in the South Philadelphia area.  The hospital was allowed to keep the money because of their cooperation with the state and the rapid reporting to the state and the patients.  St. Agnes has 10 days to submit a plan on enhancing the quality of its services.                        Top

Denial of Care

New York has reached an agreement with seven HMOs to provide a more detailed explanation of why medical care requests  have been denied.  The companies are Aetna, Prudential, Group Health, HIP, Vytra, Oxford and Excellus.  The companies have also agreed to pay the State $1 million for the cost of the attorney general's investigation.     Top

Virginia On-Line

Virginia has now placed on-line physician information.  This information includes disciplinary orders filed by the medical board even though not proved nor adjudicated.  This travesty of justice was delayed by several state medical societies that had a law enacted and signed by the Governor to forbid the besmirchment of physicians.  The compromise between this bill and the one passed in 1998 is that those actions that are not final may be obtained in writing and not via the net. Top

West Virginia Malpractice Crisis

In the ongoing saga of the lack of a spine by the West Virginia physicians, a new seven member board would oversee the inadequate state medical malpractice insurance plan.  The state would also require a certification stating a reasonable basis to support the allegation for medical malpractice suits. Who is to say what is a reasonable basis?  

The University of West Virginia dean criticized the state plan as only a short term solution. The dean also recommended a review board and mediation.  He said nothing about the needed malpractice caps on pain and suffering or the use of structured payments.  He did state that the University is looking to self insure but he forgot about the remainder of the state's physicians.  

The state should allow the physicians to set up their own companies.  The two largest malpractice carriers in the state, St. Paul and Medical Assurance are fighting against the state plan.  St. Paul has issued cancellation notices to their insured to state their insurance is cancelled if the legislation is passed.  I think this is good since it will force the physicians to stop practice and force the legislature to give the physicians their own company and put on the necessary caps.  Top

Medicare Increases

Medicare has announced an increase in the Part A deductible from $792 to $812 for hospital admissions.  The Part B premium will also increase from $50 to $54 per month.  Also increased is the extended stay Part A and B coverage.  Top

N.C. Punishes On-Line Doctor

North Carolina Medical Board has stated that Dr. Michael Ross has violated ethics by writing on-line Cipro prescriptions for Anthrax.  He is accused of fee splitting, assisting the unauthorized practice of medicine and unprofessional conduct.  He worked with a N. C. company who links patients with physicians for on-line prescriptions.  A subsidiary company then sends the drugs to the patients.  Top

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DISCLAIMER: Although this article is updated periodically, it reflects the author's point of view at the time of publication. Nothing in this article constitutes legal advice. Readers should consult with their own legal counsel before acting on any of the information presented.