Act No. 60 (H.201). Human services; palliative care; hospice; DNR order; COLST order
This act encourages palliative care and hospice use by:
· Encouraging health insurers operating in Vermont to provide coverage for an enhanced hospice access benefit for their members, whereby the definition of terminal illness is expanded from six months' life expectancy to 12 months, and members may access hospice without being required to first discontinue curative therapy
· Requiring, by no later than July 1, 2012, the agency of human services to include as a part of its application request for a demonstration project from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to integrate care for dual eligible individuals, the additional proposal of allowing the state to provide for an enhanced hospice access benefit. Also, by no later than July 1, 2013, the agency of human services shall submit a Global Commitment Medicaid waiver amendment to provide funding for the same enhanced hospice access benefit
· Requiring the department of disabilities, aging, and independent living (DAIL) to revise its policy to allow individuals who have been first admitted to hospice to apply for Choices for Care and ensure that these individuals are treated no differently than those individuals who first become enrolled in Choices for Care and then later are admitted to hospice. The revised DAIL policy will be for a one-year trial period beginning July, 1, 2011, and ending June 30, 2012
· Incorporating palliative care, hospice, and end-of-life pain management into the Blueprint for Health definitions at 18 V.S.A. § 701 and 18 V.S.A. § 703(d)
· Requiring a minimum of 10 hours of continuing medical education for physicians which must meet minimum criteria as established by rule and be in effect for the renewal of licenses to practice medicine expiring after August 31, 2014
· Revising the authority and obligations of health care providers, health care facilities, and residential care facilities regarding do-not-resuscitate orders (DNR) and clinician orders for life sustaining treatment (COLST)
Multiple effective dates, beginning June 1, 2011
Also see: Crimes and Criminal Procedures; Act No. 16 (S.58). Crimes and criminal procedure; judiciary; human services
Also see: Executive Branch; Act No. 7 (S.12). Executive branch; human services; commission on Alzheimer's disease and related disorders
Also see: Executive Branch; Act No. 24 (S.90). Executive branch; human services; respectful language study
Also see: Health; Act No. 48 (H.202). Health; health insurance; health care reform; health benefit exchange; Green Mountain Care; Medicaid; payment reform; health information technology; health care workforce; rate review