Public Health and Welfare Committee 10/16/06

The Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee met on Monday, October 16, 2006 and unanimously reported out the following bills:

HB 2584 (Hershey) The bill provides for education for expecting parents on the potential benefits of umbilical cord blood and an opportunity for pregnant women to donate and store umbilical cord blood.

HB 471 (Reichley) The bill establishes the Cardiovascular Disease Advisory Committee and a statewide stroke database.

HB 1649 (True) This bill establishes the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Prevention Fund Act and allocates which departments will receive funding.

Public Health and Welfare Committee 10/03/06

The Senate Public Health and Welfare met on Tuesday, October 3, 2006 and reported out the following:

SB 990 – This legislation establishes the Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies (CARE) Act and lists the requirements of hospitals and health care facilities when assisting sexual assault victims.  Amendment A09641 was offered by Senator Corman and gives some exemptions to religious affiliated health care facilities.  A vote of 7-3 was recorded and reported as amended. 

SB 648 – This bill extends verification of a temporary or permanent physical or mental disability by a registered nurse practitioner or a physician assistant for exemption of employment or work-related activities.  A unanimous vote was recorded and the bill was reported as committed. 

HB2639 – This legislation gives further provisions for testing of a patient’s estimated glomerular filtration rate and requirements.  A unanimous vote was recorded and the bill was reported as committed.  

SR 343 – This resolution would establish November 2006 as “Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.”  A unanimous vote was recorded and the bill was reported as committed.  

SR 348 -  This resolution designates October 16 through October 22, 2006 as “Infection Prevention Week” in Pennsylvania.   A unanimous vote was recorded and the bill was reported as committed.

Public Health and Welfare Committee 06/29/06

The Senate Public Health & Welfare Committee met on Thursday, June 29, 2006, and took action as follows:

Reported Out As Committed

House Bill 2699 (Kenney) This bill authorizes and directs the Department of Public Welfare to establish and maintain a managed health care program for medical assistance recipients.  It also requires actuarially sound rates for certain managed care organizations, providing for the right of appeal and approval by the General Assembly of changes to the Commonwealth medical assistance plan, associated waivers and repealing inconsistent portions of other acts.

Public Health and Welfare Committee 06/20/06

The Senate Public Health & Welfare Committee met on Tuesday, June 20, 2006, and took action as follows:

Reported Out as Amended (unanimously)

Senate Bill 808 (Armstrong) This bill provides for long-term care patient access to pharmaceuticals and conferring powers and duties on the State Board of Pharmacy.

Amendment A8205 limits the repackaging and re-labeling requirements to pharmaceuticals obtained through the Veteran’s Administration.

Senate Bill 1116 (Wonderling) This bill amends The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, further providing for prohibited acts and penalties and providing for affirmative defenses, for exception and for reporting.

Amendment A8153 brings the limitations into compliance with recently enacted federal legislation and eliminates the affirmative defense.

Senate Bill 1121 (Robbins) This bill provides for a program to address the illicit manufacture of methamphetamines in underground laborites.

Amendment A7242 that eliminates references to funding from retailers and the authority of the Office of the Attorney General to utilize such funds and makes other technical changes.

Senate Bill 1045 (Vance) This bill amends the Public Welfare Code, providing for home infusion therapy to be available to all eligible recipients and adding a definition of “home infusion therapy.”

Amendment A8244 clarifies that home infusion services are a covered service for Medical Assistance recipients with prescription coverage.

House Bill 2202 (Reichley) This bill amends the Public Welfare Code, providing for home infusion therapy to be available to all eligible recipients and adding a definition of “home infusion therapy.”

Amendment A8243 clarifies that home infusion services are a covered service for Medical Assistance recipients with prescription coverage.

Public Health and Welfare Committee 06/13/06

The Senate Public Health & Welfare Committee met on Tuesday, June 13, 2006, and took action as follows:

Reported Out as Committed (unanimously)

Senate Bill 727 (Vance) This bill establishes the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Prevention Fund and provides for the deposit of a portion of the liquor tax into the fund and for use of fund.

Senate Bill 934 (Wonderling) This bill establishes the Medical Safety Automation Account and provides grants to implement medical safety automation systems.

Senate Resolution 241 (Orie) This bill establishes a select committee to review research and economic development initiatives made possible by the Tobacco Settlement Act to provide the Senate with recommendations on a vision for the future.

Senate Resolution 260 (D. White) This bill directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a comprehensive study and cost review of personal care home services in Pennsylvania, including the actual costs incurred to operate a personal care home.

Reported Out as Amended (unanimously)

House Bill 755 (Kenney) This bill amends the Newborn Child Testing Act, further providing for newborn child screening and testing and making editorial changes.

Amendment 7983 adds phenylketonuria (PKU), maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), sickle-cell disease (hemoglobinopahies), galactosemia, cogneital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and primary congenital hyperthyroidism to the program for the screening test of newborn children.  It also adds specific requirements for the Department of Health to abide by when testing newborns.

Public Health and Welfare Committee 04/03/06

The Senate Public Health & Welfare Committee met on Monday, April 3, 2006, and took action as follows:

Reported Out as Amended (unanimously)

House Bill 2443 (Killion)  - This bill amends the Health Care Facilities Act, providing for continuation of demonstration projects for cardiac care.

Amendment 7091 states that this bill amends the Health Care Facilities Act rather than the Public Welfare Code and allows for the Department of Health to require hospitals to participate in a study that is mutually agreeable to the hospital and the Department.

Public Health and Welfare Committee 03/28/06

The Senate Public Health & Welfare Committee met on Tuesday, March 28, 2006, and took action as follows:

Reported Out as Amended (unanimously)

House Bill 1591 (Tangretti)  - This bill amends the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (Mcare) Act of 2002, extending patient safety standards to certain abortion facilities.

Amendment 6966 recognizes that licensed facilities pay surcharges and unlicensed medical facilities pay assessments.  It also establishes that the amount of assessments for abortion clinics will be based on the same methodology that is used to determine the surcharges for ambulatory surgical facilities.

Public Health and Welfare Committee 03/22/06

The Senate Public Health & Welfare Committee met on Wednesday, March 22, 2006, and took action as follows:

Reported Out as Amended (unanimously)

Senate Bill 997 (Erickson) - This bill amends the Public Welfare Code of 1967, further providing for medical assistance payments for institutional care.

Amendment 6296 clarifies language.

Public Health and Welfare Committee 03/15/06

The Senate Public Health & Welfare Committee met on Wednesday, March 15, 2006, and took action as follows:

Reported Out as Committed (unanimously)

Senate Bill 1006 (Erickson) - This bill provides for the allocation of funds to county mental health and mental retardation programs and for cost-of-living adjustments and for the promulgation of rules and regulations.

Reported Out as Amended (unanimously)

House Bill 1813 (Kenney) - This bill provides for the allocation of funds to county mental health and mental retardation programs, for cost-of-living adjustments and for the promulgation of rules and regulations.

Amendment 6295 strikes out the word “agency”.

Senate Resolution (Orie) - This Resolution directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to perform a study of cost control measures for the Medicaid program.

Amendment 6369 strikes out the dates February 15^th and June 1^st and replaces it with August 1^st and November 30^th of 2006.

Amended (unanimously)

Senate Bill 997 (Erickson) - This bill amends the Public Welfare Code of 1967, to further provide for medical assistance payments for institutional care.

Amendment 6296 was technical in nature.

Public Health and Welfare Committee 12/13/05

The Senate Public Health & Welfare Committee met on Tuesday, December 13, 2005, and took action as follows:

Reported Out as Committed (unanimously)

House Bill 801 (Harhart) - An Act authorizing and directing the Department of Health to establish a Cervical Cancer Task Force to evaluate and make recommendations for education, prevention and detection of cervical cancer.

Reported Out as Amended (unanimously)

Senate Bill 255 (Thompson) – This bill creates repeals to eliminate county boards of assistance and providing for an advisory board for county assistance.

Amendment 5140 added language for an advisory board for county assistance.

Senate Bill 819 (Orie) – This bill amends the Newborn Child Testing Act, further providing for newborn child screening and testing and making editorial changes.

Amendment 5055 includes metabolic, hormonal and functional conditions and adds language regarding screening.  This amendment removes certain conditions and the sum of $2,000,000 that was appropriated to the Department of Health.

Public Health and Welfare Committee 10/25/05

The Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee met on Tuesday, October 25 2005, and unanimously reported out the following bills:

As committed:

SB 925 (Thompson)   The bill extends the sunset date to June 30, 2016 for the Pa Cancer Control, Prevention and Research.

As amended:

Public Health and Welfare Committee 06/30/05

The Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee met on Thursday June 30, 2005, and unanimously reported out the following bill:

House Bill 1589 (Major): This bill expands the definition of rural hospitals to include the following:

• Hospitals that provide outpatient services;
• Hospitals located in a census tract with rural-urban commuting area codes 4 through 10 established by the United States Department of Agriculture;
• Hospitals designated as Medicare-dependent hospitals as of April 30, 2002 or critical access hospitals as of December 31, 2005;
• Hospitals with 50 of fewer beds that serve at a minimum 70% Medicare patient population and demonstrate service to individuals from federally designated health professional shortage areas including, but not limited to. Philipsburg Area Hospital and Mid-Valley Hospital.

Public Health and Welfare Committee 06/27/05

The Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee met on Monday, June 27, 2005 and reported out the following bill unanimously:

House Bill 1168 (Habay): This legislation amends the Public Welfare Code to require nursing homes to be inspected at least twice annually for compliance with record-keeping requirements for Medical Assistance recipients’ funds.