Issues of interest to VAHHS addressed this week include:

Hospital Regulation, Certificate of Need (H.128)
H.128, the CON bill was referred to the Senate Finance Committee because the bill back authority granted to the commissioner of BISHCA may affect the revenues of the state. The Senate Finance Committee voted 6-0-1 to advance H.128 late Friday, May 9th. The bill is up for action on the Senate floor, and as of this writing, the bill received preliminary Senate approval on Monday, May 12, with virtually no floor debate. There are some technical amendments that will be offered before the final reading of the bill on the Senate floor on Tuesday, May 13. VAHHS supports these amendments. After it passes the Senate, the bill will likely be referred to a conference committee to work out the differences in the House and Senate passed versions of the bill. Here is a link to the Senate Calendar for May 12, with the text of H.128 as advanced by both the House Health and Welfare Committee and the Senate Finance Committee.

FY04 Budget Bill (H.464)
The conference committee on the FY04 budget bill met briefly a few times this week. They did not discuss the Medicaid budget or any other appropriations that affect nursing homes or hospitals. They will start meeting in earnest starting the week of May 12th. VAHHS continues to lobby the conferees to delete the newly imposed “coinsurance” requirement for hospital care imposed on traditional Medicaid recipients (the House set the coinsurance at 2.5 percent with a $50 annual cap, the Senate set the coinsurance at 5 percent with a $100 annual cap). These coinsurance payments will be difficult to collect and as a result they will increase the cost shift. We also continue to watch the conference committee carefully to urge the conferees to endorse Governor Douglas’s proposal to distribute $4.8 million in increased provider tax receipts (with federal match of $7.5 for a total of $12.1 million) to hospitals in the form of increased Medicaid reimbursement rates.
Fee Bill, Provider Taxes (H.472)

This week the Senate Finance Committee did not vote out the miscellaneous fee bill, H.472, because they got bogged down with the Act 60 reform bill. H.472 contains the language to increase the provider taxes for hospitals, home health and nursing homes. The provider taxes for hospitals will be increased by an additional one percent to raise the funds to increase hospital Medicaid payments and to replace co-payments and deductibles under Medicaid to premiums as proposed by Governor Douglas. The committee will likely finish its work on this bill this week.

Anesthesiologist Assistants (AAs) (S.144)
On Friday, May 9, 2003, the House Ways and Means voted 9-0-2 to advance S.144, the AA bill. The committee didn't make any changes to the bill. The bill will be up for a preliminary vote on the House floor on Tuesday, May 13. At our request, the House Government Operations Committee is offering one amendment on the floor to address an issue involving caps on the number of limited temporary licenses for residents at FAHC. Here is a link to the House Calendar for Tuesday, May 13th with the text of S.144 as passed by the House Government Operations Committee and the amendment regarding residency requirements.

Agency of Human Services Reorganization (H.450)
On Friday, May 9, the Senate passed H.450, a bill that authorizes the Secretary of the Agency of Human Services to restructure the agency. As of this writing, a conference committee has not yet been appointed to work out the differences in the House and Senate versions of the bill. However, if the House accepts the Senate changes a conference committee will not be needed. It is unclear at this time if the House will accept the Senate changes or ask for a conference committee. Here is a link to the Senate Journal for May 9th with the text of the bill as it passed the Senate.

Statewide Needs Assessment of Dialysis Treatment (S. 170)
On Tuesday, May 6, 2003, the House passed S.170, a bill that requires the department of aging and disabilities to conduct a statewide survey and study of all dialysis treatment in Vermont. The report must identify all funding mechanisms currently paying for dialysis treatment in Vermont, identify existing gaps in the delivery system and exploring alternatives to the present delivery system, including the use of mobile dialysis units. The report is due to the House and Senate Committees on Health and Welfare and to BISHCA to assist that agency in developing the new health resource allocation plan, by November 15, 2003. The bill already passed the Senate and is now awaiting Governor Douglas’s signature.

Birth Information Network (S. 159)
On Tuesday, May 6, 2003, the House passed S.159, a bill that directs the commissioner of health to establish a birth information network designed to identify newborns that have special medical needs. The commissioner of health shall appoint an advisory committee to comment on the effectiveness of the birth information network and to gather information about funding opportunities. The advisory committee shall be composed of representatives from the primary organizations involved in network data collection and use. The department of health is authorized to collect information for the birth information network. The commissioner of health, in collaboration with appropriate partners, is authorized to “coordinate existing data systems and records to enhance the network’s comprehensiveness and effectiveness” including such data systems as vital records, the Medicaid claims database, the hospital discharge data system and health records, (such as discharge summaries, disease indexes, nursery logs, pediatric logs, and neonatal intensive care unit logs) from hospitals, outpatient specialty clinics, genetics clinics, and cytogenetics laboratories. The bill already passed the Senate and is now awaiting Governor Douglas’s signature.

Safety Seats (S.25)
On Wednesday, May 7, the House passed S.25, a bill that proposes to institute new requirements for restraining children in vehicles. Here is a link to the House Journal from May 7th with the text of the bill as it passed the House. The bill is awaiting the Governor’s signature.

Annual Report Due Date of Behavior Health Care Task Force (H.96)
On Wednesday, May 7th, the Senate passed H.96, a bill that makes a slight change to the date that the annual report from the behavior health care task force is due to the General Assembly. The bill is now awaiting the Governor’s signature.