130 likes | 245 Views
State Legislative/Regulatory Update. Legislation on: raising tobacco taxes redistributing Tobacco Settlement $ limiting smoking in public places expand smoking cessation coverage change Medicaid DME coverage, some limit, some require, some reduce payment.
E N D
Legislation on: • raising tobacco taxes • redistributing Tobacco Settlement $ • limiting smoking in public places • expand smoking cessation coverage • change Medicaid DME coverage, some limit, some require, some reduce payment
Study health care personnel shortages, usually includes RTs • Prohibits Alcohol Vaporizing Devices • Asthma management; some coverage • Health care facilities must report facility acquired infections: always include ventilator associated pneumonia
STATE RT LICENSURE • Licensure • 48 states, DC & PR with state regulation, all but MN are full licensure laws. • Alaska and Hawaii no state regulation
Some states have bills affecting all licensed professions, which includes RTs • disciplinary criteria • bill on student loan default and license renewal • Good Sam laws, protect from liability • Active duty military have longer to renew license
RT Specific Legislation • CT- CEs added • KY-Licensure renewal times • UT-RT licensure is mandatory
RT Licensure Regulations • Most changes are done via regs • All depends on amount of authority given in the law to the RT Boards/Cmtes./Councils • Recent changes • Fees- TX, AZ, IA, MO,VA • Renewal times-FL • Disciplinary Criteria –CA, FL • Continuing Ed issues- FL • Retired Status- FL
Challenges to RT Practice ActOther Occupations: • EMS (paramedics & EMTS) • DOT curricula “out of hospital” • Staff shortages leads to state regs or legislative changes • Some states permit EMS in ED • Now states moving towards anywhere in the hospital Ex.: Nebraska and Iowa
Polysomnography • Challenge to RT profession across the country • Efforts to create complete exemption for individuals who are not formally educated nor competency tested to perform RT services (polysom technician and trainees) • Successful in Illinois and Vermont • Limited Exemption in UT
Other track: polysom licensure • Problem how do you license a cohort of individuals who are OJTs? • With no outside verifiable ed or testing standards, responsibility falls to newly created Polsyomnography Licensure Boards • Therefore can be anything Bd. wants it to be
Polysom licensure is successful in • LA (RTs exempted) • NJ (RTS NOT exempted-may have to obtain Polysom license) • ND licensed under the RT Board License only RPSGTs • 2006 polysom licensure efforts underway in: • MD, NY
Pandemic Flu Preparations • Feds are worried, billions being spent to prepare. • $ to states • Much concern if there are adequate numbers of ventilators • RTs should be part of state or hospital planning. You will be on the front lines
Must stay involved, vigilant • Look for opportunities and challenges