"Riley Factor"

This article was featured in the August 2007 issue of Business Matters, our monthly print newsletter.

Health Care Reform Bills Signed

Governor Ed Rendell recently signed into law a series of bills that were first proposed as part of his “Prescription for Pennsylvania” health care reform plan.

One of the bills focuses on improving patient safety and containing costs by eliminating hospital and health facility acquired infections.  The second set of bills will allow certified registered nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives and dental hygienists to practice to the full extent of their education and training.

Senate Bill 968--Health Care Acquired Infections

SB 968 focuses on surveillance and reporting to address both transparency and evidence based responsive infection control procedures.  Pennsylvania will now be a national leader on this issue as no other state has implemented a more comprehensive plan for eliminating health care acquired infections.

HB 1251 and HB 1252--Physician’s Assistants

Previous legislation limited the number of physician’s assistants with whom a physician might establish a collaborative agreement to two. House bills 1251 and1252 expand that to four possible collaborative agreements.  Adding a physician assistant to a medical practice can lower costs while maintaining the same level of quality. 

 

HB 1253--Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners (CRNP)

HB 1253 allows a CRNP to perform acts of medical diagnosis in collaboration with a physician and in accordance with regulations. A CRNP functioning in the expanded role as a professional nurse can practice within the scope of practice of the particular clinical specialty area in which the nurse is certified.

HB 1255--Nurse Midwives

The legislation allows nurse midwives with proper pharmacologic training to write prescriptions within a collaborative agreement with a physician.  Pennsylvania was the only state in the Nation which did not allow nurse midwives any prescriptive power.  Approximately 10 percent of all babies born in the state are birthed by nurse midwives.  In many areas of the Commonwealth these specialized nurse practitioners are also the only source of pre-natal and gynecological care.

SB 455--Dental Hygienists

The legislation allows dental hygienists to perform specific functions without the direct supervision of a dentist in order to give them greater ability to provide basic dental hygiene services in a greater variety of settings.  More than 1.5 million Pennsylvanians live in a federally designated dental health professional shortage area.  In states with similar shortages, dental hygienists fill this void by providing routine dental care.

At the press event for the bills signings, Governor Rendell expressed his eagerness to continue to work with the General Assembly to enact the rest of his reform plan including the controversial Cover All Pennsylvanians (CAP) Program.

CAP would extend subsidized health insurance to about 800,000 adults who lack coverage by adding a 3 percent payroll tax on employers (employers that provide health insurance would get a tax credit) and increasing the $1.35-a-pack cigarette tax by a dime a pack; and taxing smokeless tobacco and cigars for the first time.

The Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry unequivocally opposes the proposed payroll tax for this initiative and will be voicing our position to our elected officials as the issue unfolds.