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NAHN Receives $25,000 Grant from Johnson and Johnson Services Washington, DC (August 28, 2015)11/3/2015 The National Association of Hispanic Nurses is pleased to announce the receipt of grant from Johnson and Johnson Services Inc. for the purpose of the expansion of the Mentorship Academy.
In 2012, NAHN developed the Mentorship Academy with the primary goal to expand the formal mentoring model tested to every chapter in the Association. The Grant will allow NAHN to offer start-up support, with the goal that five chapters will initiate the mentorship program per year. Submitted by Carmenza Millian, Illinois State Director of AARP
HB421: NURSE-COLLABORATION-PRESCRIBE (Feigenholtz, S) Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Eliminates the requirement for a written collaborative agreement for all advanced practice nurses. Eliminates the requirement for an anesthesia plan for certified registered nurse anesthetists. Removes references to a written collaborative agreement and anesthesia plan throughout the Act. Repeals certain Sections of the Act and a Section of the Podiatric Medical Practice Act of 1987 concerning written collaborative agreements. Amends various other Acts to make related changes. Effective immediately. 6/19/2015 - Sent to the Governor HB2731: DHFS-MEDICAID-DATA REPORTS (Hernandez, E) Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that beginning July 1, 2015, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall publish monthly reports on its website on the enrollment of persons in the State's medical assistance program, and the enrollment of recipients of medical assistance into a Medicaid Managed Care Entity contracted by the Department. Provides that the monthly reports shall include certain information for the medical assistance program generally and, separately, for each Medicaid Managed Care Entity contracted by the Department, including: (i) total enrollment and (ii) the number of persons enrolled in the medical assistance program pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Requires the Department to annually publish on its website every Medicaid Managed Care Entity's quality metrics outcomes and to make public an independent annual quality review report on the State's Medicaid managed care delivery system. Requires the Department to compile on a monthly basis data on eligibility redeterminations of beneficiaries of medical assistance. Requires the data to be posted on the Department's website and to include certain information, including: (a) the total number of redetermination decisions made in a month and, of that total number, the number of decisions to continue benefits, the number of decisions to change benefits, and the number of decisions to cancel benefits; and (b) if a vendor is procured to assist the Department in the redetermination process, the total number of redetermination decisions made in a month with the involvement of the vendor and without the involvement of the vendor. Effective immediately. 6/19/2015 - Sent to the Governor HB2812: MEDICAID-SENSITIVE SERVICES (Mitchell, C) Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that for all recipients of medical assistance who are enrolled in a Medicaid Managed Care Entity, information concerning sensitive health services, including information concerning consultations, examinations, and treatments, shall not be divulged directly or indirectly to any person, including by sending a bill for such services or by sending an explanation of benefits provided by the Medicaid Managed Care Entity, unless the recipient who received the sensitive health services requests the information from the Medicaid Managed Care Entity. Provides that the term "Medicaid Managed Care Entity" includes, but is not limited to, Care Coordination Entities, Accountable Care Entities, Managed Care Community Networks, and Managed Care Organizations. Defines "sensitive health services". Provides that nothing in this provision shall be construed to relieve a Medicaid Managed Care Entity or the Department of Healthcare and Family Services of its duty to report incidents of sexually transmitted infections to the Department of Public Health or to the local board of health in accordance with regulations adopted under a statute or ordinance, or to report incidents of sexually transmitted infections as necessary to comply with certain requirements under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act or as otherwise required by State or federal law. Effective immediately. 6/19/2015 - Sent to the Governor HB2915: HOSPITAL DISCHARGE-CAREGIVERS (Costello, J) Creates the Caregiver Advise, Record, and Enable Act. Provides that after a patient is admitted as an inpatient into a hospital and before the patient is discharged or transferred, the hospital shall provide the patient or the patient's legal representative with an opportunity to designate a caregiver. Provides that the hospital shall document the patient's designation of a caregiver. Requires the hospital to notify the patient's designated caregiver prior to the patient's discharge or transfer, unless the patient indicates that he or she does not want the designated caregiver to be notified. Requires the hospital to consult with the designated caregiver and issue a discharge plan that contains certain information. Provides that the hospital issuing the discharge plan shall make an effort to provide or arrange for the designated caregiver to receive instructions in the after-care assistance tasks described in the discharge plan. Provides that the Act shall not be construed to interfere with the rights of an agent operating under a valid health care directive and shall not be construed to create a private right of action against certain individuals and entities. Contains other provisions. Effective 180 days after becoming law. 6/19/2015 - Sent to the Governor YOUR BILLS SCHEDULED FOR HEARINGS, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015 SENATE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Sen. Cullerton: (217) 782-2728 Tue., Jun. 23, 2015, 12:01 PM, Senate Chamber SB1836: HEALTHY WORKPLACE ACT (HUTCHINSON T) Creates the Healthy Workplace Act and amends the State Finance Act. Requires employers to provide specified paid sick days to employees. Sets forth the purposes for and manner in which the sick days may be used. Contains provisions regarding employer responsibilities, unlawful employer practices, and other matters. Provides that the Department of Labor shall administer the Act. Authorizes the imposition of civil penalties. Authorizes individuals to file civil actions with respect to violations. Creates the Healthy Workplace Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Effective immediately. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
...TOGETHER...SHAPING THE FUTURE OF APN PRACTICE There is not much new to report this week. There was more of the same: testimony and voting on issues that move no further than the House. On Tuesday it was tort reform and Thursday the remaining budget bills and the 'right to work' bill. All went down in flames, as was intended, to show the Governor his 'turn around agenda' would not pass this General Assembly. There will need to be lots of compromise going forward. It was stated this week the final day of session may well be July 15th. HB 421 was not called for a vote in the Senate this week. The bill is on 2nd reading and will be voted out whenever the opportunity arises. Sen. Steans has told us she will call the bill as soon as possible. As was in the House, an email was sent from us to all Senators urging a 'yes' vote on this agreed bill. Those emails were well received in both chambers. HB1 is the proposal seeking to reduce the rising abuse of prescriptive drugs and, ultimately, heroin. Originally a shell bill, amendment 1 was added in early March with no expectation it would pass in that form. Amendment 2 was filed this past week after several changes put forward by the coalition of prescribers and dispensers. This proposal affects all prescribers, dispensers, insurers and people who genuinely need prescribed pain medication, as well as those, who abuse the opioids. Should this pass all prescribers must register with the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) within the Department of Human Services. The PMP is a service for providers as well as a 'watch dog' to prevent unnecessary prescribing. The sponsor is House Leader Lou Lang who intends to call the bill for a vote soon. We are watching this bill closely as it does affect APNs for prescribing purposes and all healthcare providers as they care for people with addiction issues. The full amendment can be found onwww.ilga.gov, full text, Amendment 2. Both the House and Senate are scheduled to be in session Monday through Friday.Friday is the scheduled deadline for bills passing out of the 2nd chamber. Of course, that was scheduled prior to the budget debacle and lack of negotiation between the leaders and the Governor. More later..... Submitted by Sue Clark, Lobbyist Debbie Broadfield, Lobbyist |
