Legislation

FEDERAL LEGISLATION

Section # 2302 of the Affordable Care Act, entitled “Concurrent Care for Children”

 This piece of legislation will ensure any child enrolled in a Medicaid program or CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) will be allowed to access the Medicaid hospice benefit CONCURRENTLY with any curative measures they have been or will be receiving.  These individuals will no longer have to forego their curative treatments in order to enroll in a hospice program or decide between continuing their current care, and giving it up to receive the benefits of a hospice program.  This legislation is active beginning on March 23, 2010.

 

harrisburgh Rally

STATE LEGISLATION (Proposed but not active)

House Bill # 2610 entitled “Children’s Access to Concurrent Care Act”

To ensure children not enrolled in the Medicaid Program or CHIP will receive the same benefits of concurrent care.  Under Section #2302 (as stated above), the child must be enrolled in the Medicaid program or CHIP.  This state legislation would extent this mandate for concurrent care to the private sector, so that the children served by private insurers would not be denied the opportunity to access curative treatments concurrently with palliative care and/or hospice services.

House Bill # 2611 entitled “Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Act”

To expand physician knowledge about palliative care by requiring that they take continuing medical education credits in the field of palliative care and pain management.  Presently, Pennsylvania physicians are required to take 100 units of continuing education every two years.  This legislation would ensure that this series would include a one-time, 12-credit hour continuing education unit requirement so that doctors can become versed in this field.  For physicians who routinely care for children, at least four of the twelve credits shall address the specific concern of pediatric palliative care. 

 

Advocacy

PPHC Task Force Table of Contents.pdf

The PaCHaPCC is committed to providing advocacy to promoting palliative and end-of-life care for children with life limiting conditions.

Legislation: developing and pending legislation.

Short-term goals:

  • Identify those legislators who are involved in Pennsylvania's health care issues
  • Provide follow-up information from the November 2008 task force report to all legislators
  • Meet with key legislators to determine the next step towards legislation regarding pediatric palliative and hospice care

Long-term goals:

 

 

You can obtain contact information for your local Representative by going to:
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm