Health Policy Council Meeting Minutes 4/18/2011 Conference Call Present: Jennifer Price, Lisa Rankin, Molly Ackley,

Andrew Minton, John Singleton, Dottie Marsh, Barb Paulic, Melinda Sanders, Diane Smith-Levine, Joyce Cox, Michele Valentino, Kay Ball, Diane Salvador, Susan Tullai-McGuinness Next meeting: June 17, 2011, 10:00am

I. II.

Approval of Minutes Kay Ball noted typo on word quiet within Legislative Update. Kay Ball moves to accept minutes as amended. Joyce Cox seconds. Senate Bill 5 Update Jennifer Price: SB5 passed on April 1st despite heavy lobbying and was signed by the Governor. The House vote was 53-44 and the Senate vote on the amended version was 17-16. Leading the referendum campaign is a group called We Are Ohio. ONA has been working with them. There needs to be 231,000 signatures collected for this to be placed on the ballot. ONA met this morning about our involvement with the referendum campaign. State Budget Lisa Rankin: An e-mail was sent with a document giving the highlights of the budget bill. Some highlights: o Adult Care Facilities: Under current law, adult care facilities are regulated by the Ohio Department of Health with rules promulgated by the Public Health Council. There are significant statutory provisions regarding the skilled nursing care and personal care services provided in adult care facilities. While the statutory provisions are not amended, the licensure of these facilities and rule promulgation has been transferred to the Ohio Department of Mental Health. o Home Care Attendant Services: The bill proposes an expansion of the Medicaid waiver program negotiated in the last budget bill for home care attendant services for mentally alert but physically disabled persons. The bill creates an Ohio Home Care Program to provide home and community based services and an Ohio transitions II Aging Carve Out Program to be administered through the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. If the newly proposed Medicaid waiver programs receive federal approval, the provisions of law addressing home care attendant services shall apply to the individuals in the new waiver programs, including the provisions regarding nursing tasks that would otherwise be performed by a registered nurse. The budget bill does not change the previously enacted statutory provisions that require the registered nurse to participate in a face-to-face visit every ninety days with the consumer and home care attendant for the purpose of monitoring the consumers health and welfare.

III.

IV.

Legislative Update HB62: Will likely broaden this bill to include all healthcare professionals through amendments. The bill is moving forward. There will hopefully be a committee vote in May. So far, there have been three hearings. Nurses have testified. Legislators have been receptive to testimony. HB154, SB111: Covers all healthcare professionals. Not moving forward. Likely to be rolled into HB62. HB93, Pill Mills: Jennifer Price sent out draft amendment. The amendment would permit the Ohio Board of Nursing to share evidence and information about other health professionals, uncovered during the course of an investigation of a nurse, with other respective boards such at the State Medical Board of Ohio and the Oho State Board of Pharmacy. SB83, APN Schedule II: This bill is similar to what was introduced during the last General Assembly. It is moving forward. There has been good testimony from APNs and the doctors that they collaborate with. Opponents of the bill (mostly doctors) giving prescription drug abuse as their reasoning. 33 other states gives APNs this authority. SB129, Qualified Immunity: The legislation addresses immunity for various health professionals in two sets of circumstances when providing care in compliance with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) and in disaster situations. This bill is similar to SB86 from the last General Assembly. We are lobbying to have nurses amended into this bill. PCE Report The new contribution spreadsheet is on the new HPC site. This will be updated and posted before every HPC meeting. Current balance is $52,430.48. HPC Site We have created a password protected site just for HPC members. The site will have meetings documents, minutes, agendas, etc. Staff Changes Lisa Rankin has submitted her resignation. Her last day will be April 29, 2011. Continuing Business Task Forces: Jennifer explained the possibility of creating task forces for input and comments from HPC members. o Create subcommittees within the HPC to look at issues that arent specifically about nursing but for public health. o Dottie Marsh suggested putting this topic on the next meetings agenda. HPC the best way to do this and will discuss next meeting.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.