LEGISLATION
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Midwifery Education
PALM
Midwives on Lobby Day 2007 |
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| Julianna Fehr CNM, Senator
Teresita, Jill, Vivian |
Julianna Fehr CNM |
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Senator
Pat Vance and Jill Earl |
Lobby
Day 2006 |
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Govenor
Rendell recognizing Sister Teresita’s 80th birthday
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PALM Midwives on Lobby Day 2006
Lobby
Day 2006 Report - Word Document.
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LEGISLATION
RX Authority has passed!! Click
here to read more!
****Mcare ****
The Mcare abatement for 2007 was passed
in October 2006. The governor has signed the bill so that
CNM’s and OB/GYN’s will not have to pay their
Mcare premium for 2007. To be eligible for the 2007 Mcare
abatement you must apply BEFORE February 14, 2008. It’s
best to apply as soon as possible.
To apply electronically go to the Mcare website
www.mcare.state.pa.us.
Submit the application for the abatement. You can sign the
application electronically, so it is no longer required
to send a “hard copy”. The signature is for
the Certificate of Retention pledge which states that you
will continue to provide health services in Pennsylvania
through 12/31/2008. If you do not provide health services
as a nurse-midwife for the year after the abatement you
will be required to pay the abatement back to Mcare. Please
let all CNM’s know about the need to apply for the
2007 abatement before Feb.14, 2008.
The Mcare Commission issued its final report
in November, 2006. To read the report and the testimonies
given at the public hearing on November 2, 2006 go to www.mcare.state.pa.us.
The links for the report (Commission on the Mcare fund)
and the public hearing are on the left side of the web site.
Sexual Assault Testing
The Sexual Assault Testing and Evidence
Collection Act (SB439) was passed in October 2006 establishes
a Statewide sexual assault evidence collection program to
promote the health and safety of victims of sexual assault
and to facilitate the prosecution of persons accused of
sexual assault. This program would be administered by the
Department of Health, which would: (1) consult with PCAR
and the State Police to develop minimum standard requirements
for all rape kits used in hospitals and health care facilities
in PA; (2) test and approve commercially available rape
kits for use in PA; (3) review the minimum standard requirements
for rape kits and prior-approved rape kits every three years
to assure that rape kits meet state-of-the-art minimum standards;
and (4) consult with PCAR, the State Police, the International
Association of Forensic Nurses, the Hospital and Health
system Association of Pennsylvania and any local SART to
establish a program to train hospital, child advocacy center
and health care facility personnel in the correct use and
application of rape kits in order to maximize the health
and safety of the victim and the potential to collect useful
admissible evidence to prosecute persons accused of sexual
assault. The bill provides for duties of the State Police
and civil immunity.
Mandatory Overtime
A bill which limits overtime for nurses.
An amendment was introduced to the bill in 2006 that would
not limit nurses in birth centers or nurse-midwives. “If
a health care facility requires a nurse to work in excess
of the nurse’s agreed to, predetermined and regularly
scheduled work shift, the health care facility shall provide
reasonable notice as soon as it is practicable”. The
bill will probably be re introduced in 2007.
Qualified Health Care Professionals
This bill (SB 1332) would have permitted
“Qualified Health Care Professionals” to conduct
teacher physicals, instead of only physicians. It would
have amended the Public School Code further providing for
school health services definitions, for health services,
for dental examinations and dental hygiene services, for
facilities, for examinations and for recommendations of
health professionals; deleting provisions relating to examination
by family physician or dentist; and further providing for
care and treatment of school-age children, for precautions
against spread of certain diseases and for medical examination
of school personnel. Among several changes, a school district
would be required to maintain certain medical records for
students including records of physical exams and dental
exams. This was not voted on in 2006.
Cover All Kids
This legislation, (HB 2699) which passed
in October 2006 amends the Insurance Company Law of 1921
to include provisions of the Cover All Kids health insurance
program and expand the state’s groundbreaking CHIP
program to provide additional coverage for Pennsylvania
children. The legislation expands the subsidized CHIP program
by including children whose family income is below 300 percent
of the federal poverty level. Currently, CHIP is provided
at no cost for children with family incomes up to 200 percent
of the federal poverty level and at reduced cost for families
with incomes between 200 percent and 235 percent of the
federal level. Under the expanded program, families whose
income is over the unsubsidized CHIP level up to 300 percent
of the federal poverty level will be able to pay a small
premium for coverage, based on a sliding scale. For families
over 300 percent of the federal level, the program will
be available as a payer of last resort when the private
premium significantly exceeds family income or the CHIP
premium. The program will also be the payer of last resort
if the child can’t get coverage due to his or her
pre-existing condition or that of a family member. In addition,
the program will include a “go bare” period
where applicants must show that the child has not had coverage
for the last six months, unless the child is two years of
age or younger. There is no go bare period for infants or
for children who have lost coverage due to a parent losing
their job or moving from another public insurance program.
In addition, House Bill 2699 requires a study of the Medical
Assistance Managed Care Program by the Legislative Budget
and Finance Committee and includes a sunset provision in
which Cover All Kids and CHIP would expire on Dec. 31, 2010.
Continuing Nursing Education
A Continuing Nursing Education bill (SB235)
was passed in October 2005. It requires 30 hours of mandatory
continuing education during each 2 year license period for
individuals licensed as registered nurses. This applies
to CNM’s since we are required by law to be licensed
as an RN. An amendment was included which says that “Nationally
Certified Education Courses shall be certified as creditable”
by the Board of Nursing. This means that ACNM CEU’s
will be accepted. The Board of Nursing will be writing regulations
to carry out this new law, and CNM’s renewing their
RN licensure will be required to show proof of 30 hours
of CEU’s.
Hospital Regulations
New Hospital Regulations were drafted
by the Department of Health. CNM’s are listed in the
definition of health care provider. They are very general
and give hospitals the authority to determine health care
providers that may practice in their facility. When the
regulations are posted for public comment we will be asking
all CNM’s to send in letters and e-mails of support.
Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Screening
Act
This bill (HB 1606), which was passed,
designates that the Department of Health will provide the
availability of Breast exams, PAP, pelvic exams and screening
mammograms for low-income underinsured and uninsured women
age 40-49.
Breastfeeding Legislation
Senator Connie Williams’s breastfeeding bill was passed
in July, 2007! Senate Bill 34, Breastfeeding in Public protects
a woman's right to breastfeed her child in any public or
private place where she is authorized to be. It prohibits
local governments from prohibiting breastfeeding in public
by local ordinance and would clarify that the act of breastfeeding
could not be considered an obscene act.
Newborn Child Testing Act
HB 755 was passed in April 2006, and
amends the Newborn Child Testing Act, expanding mandatory
newborn screening tests for 30 genetic diseases and requiring
additional follow-up services for newborns with abnormal
or inconclusive test results. The laboratories that perform
the tests would be required to report confirmatory results
to the PA Department of Health.
For more information on legislation
in Pennsylvania, visit www.legis.state.pa.us.
LINKS
American
Association of Birth Centers The
AABC web site is filled with information about birth centers,
how to find one, how to start a birth center, accreditation,
meetings, a library, store and membership.
American
College of Nurse-Midwives The
ACNM is the national professional organization for certified
nurse-midwives (CNM’s) and certified midwives (CM).
The web site has information about CNM’s and CM’s,
career planning and educational programs, ACNM member services,
legislation and health policy, international programs and
ACNM meetings. It’s a great site for publications
and research.
Centers
for Disease Control The CDC
website has current information concerning health and safety,
for example, infectious and chronic diseases, immunizations,
health promotion, smoking cessation, genetics and occupational
health. The CDC offers resources for publications, data
and statistics.
MANA
The Midwives Alliance of North America
is the professional organization for midwives. “The
mission of MANA is to provide a nurturing forum for support
and cooperation among midwives. Through our collective strength,
we can ensure midwifery care for all mothers and their babies
throughout North America.” The website offers lots
of resources about direct entry midwives (DEM) and Certified
Professional Midwives (CPM), legislation, educational programs
and conferences.
March
of Dimes The March of Dimes website
has a section for professionals and researchers with information
on preterm birth, preconception, research, perinatal statistics
and references. There is also a section on pregnancy and
newborn health education.
Mymidwife.org
Looking for a midwife or information
about midwives? This is a nice website sponsored by the
ACNM to provide information for women and families about
their health throughout a woman’s life cycle; GYN
care, contraception, menopause, during pregnancy, postpartum
and for the baby. There is a nice section on “getting
involved” and also a great section on resources.
www.state.pa.us
This is the website for information about
Pennsylvania. It has a links to state agencies, to contact
your legislators and to find out news in the different regions
of the Commonwealth.
Pennsylvania
Department of Health The Department
of Health has information for consumers, health professionals
and about the health department. There is a good section
on the Office of Health Care Reform and the Governors initiatives
on Mcare. Don’t go to the section on Infant’s
and Children’s Health if you have high blood pressure.
It only mentions doctors as providers of care. Time for
an update!
Pennsylvania
Office of Rural Health This is a
website with information about rural health in Pennsylvania.
It has sections on current news, the strategic plan, the
annual migrant and immigrant health conference, and training
opportunities.
Vote-smart.org
Don’t know your state or federal
legislators? This website makes it easy to find not only
their names but lots of other information. Try it!
Interested in Midwifery
Education Programs?
Visit
www.midwives.org
The Frontier School of Midwifery and
Family Nursing
www.philau.edu/midwifery
The Midwifery Institute of Philadelphia
University
http://www.nursing.upenn.edu/whcs/overview/midwifery.asp
The University of Pennsylvania Nurse-Midwifery
Program
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