State Highlights: N.Y. Lawmakers Push To Delay Docs’ Electronic Rx Deadline; Texas Medical Board Wrestles With Physician-Patient Cyber-Relationships
A selection of health policy stories New York, Texas, Connecticut, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, North Carolina and Florida.
The Associated Press:
NY Legislators Seek Delay In Electronic Prescriptions
New York legislators want to postpone until next year the deadline for doctors to issue only electronic drug prescriptions, saying many still lack needed federal approval. The bill has passed the state Senate and the Assembly Health Committee. Assemblyman John McDonald, sponsor and practicing pharmacist, says he expects the full Assembly to pass it in two weeks. (2/11)
The Texas Tribune:
Virtual Doctors Making Medical Board Really Nervous
The Texas Medical Board will meet Thursday to consider a 21st-century question: How should the state regulate doctor-patient relationships when they exist only in cyberspace and, in some cases, across state lines? (Walters, 2/12)
Connecticut Mirror:
5 Things To Know About Medicaid Spending In CT
[Medicaid is] a key way the state has expanded coverage under the federal health law, and it’s likely to be part of the upcoming debate over the state’s next budget, when lawmakers try to keep their pledges to eliminate a massive deficit without raising taxes. (Levin Becker, 2/12)
Arizona Republic:
Arizona Senate Committee Approves Abortion Restrictions
Legislation to further regulate abortions in Arizona gained approval from the Senate Health Committee on Wednesday, the same day the influential anti-abortion group Center for Arizona Policy held its day at the Capitol. (Shumway, 2/11)
The Associated Press:
Suit Seeks To Exempt Physicians From Assisted Suicide Law
A cancer patient and five doctors filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking to exempt physicians who help terminally ill patients end their lives from a California ban on assisted suicide. Physicians who provide such assistance are not helping the patient commit suicide, but instead giving them the option of bringing about a peaceful death, according to the lawsuit filed in San Francisco Superior Court. (2/11)
Miami Herald:
Negotiations Continue For LIP Hospital Funding
The state continued its negotiations with the federal government on Wednesday in an effort to preserve funding for hospitals that treat large numbers of poor and uninsured patients. Florida had previously relied on a pot of money known as the Low Income Pool, or LIP. But the $2.2 billion program is scheduled to expire later this year, under an agreement between the state and federal government. On Tuesday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, said it "will not extend Florida's Low Income Pool in its current form beyond June 30," according to a statement issued by the agency. (McGrory, 2/11)
Stateline:
A Pregnancy Prevention Breakthrough In Colorado
The state’s teen birthrate dropped 40 percent between 2009 and 2013, driven largely by a public health initiative that gives low-income young women across the state long-acting contraceptives such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) and hormonal implants. (Vestal, 2/12)
The Associated Press:
Hawaii Bills Aim To Help COFA Migrants Pay For Health Care
Hawaii lawmakers are trying to make it easier for people living in the state under the Compact of Free Association to pay for health care. The state recently decided to end Medicaid coverage for most Micronesian migrants and to enroll them in health insurance through the Hawaii Health Connector, which will save the state an estimated $27 million. But some lawmakers fear that low-income migrants might not be able to pay for their new health care plans. They introduced a pair of bills that would require the state to cover the costs of premiums, copays and deductibles. (Bussewitz, 2/12)
North Carolina Health News:
North Carolina Falls Behind On Disease Prevention Scorecard
A health-prevention report card shows that the state continues to fail in obesity and nutrition prevention, while the state’s tobacco-prevention grade worsened from a B to a C. (Namkoong, 2/12)
Miami Herald:
Paramedics Prepare For The Worst Amid ‘Shooting’ At Fort Lauderdale Movie Theater
Two men in camouflage storm into the Sunrise Cinemas in Riverfront, head to different theaters filled with moviegoers, and begin shooting. ... But the victims — actually volunteers from Fort Lauderdale’s Community Emergency Response Team — weren’t hurt. The scene played out this week as part of a joint training exercise between the Fort Lauderdale Police Department and the Fort Lauderdale Fire Department to practice a new procedure that allows firefighters to get to patients quicker and stop the bleeding as soon as possible. (Teproff, 2/11/)
Miami Herald:
Chef Michelle Bernstein Creates Flavorful Food For Cancer Patients At Broward Hospital
For months, chef Michelle Bernstein culled her imagination for the right mix of ingredients and flavors, drew from the many culinary moments that define her career and tapped into personal experiences to create the gift of good food. The star chef, restaurateur, television personality and author is partnering with the Memorial Cancer Institute — part of the Memorial Healthcare System in Broward County — to create a collection of healthy foods for oncology patients receiving chemotherapy treatments at its hospitals. (Burch, 2/9)
