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    IPHA 2017 Legislative Session Update


IPHA's Policy Intern, Tiffeny Stees, will be monitoring issues and legislation related to public health during the 2017 Idaho Legislative Session. Tiffeny holds a degree in Philosophy from the University of Utah, and is in her final semester as a Master of Social Work candidate at Boise State University. She is co-interning with Boise State University's Center for the Study of Aging, in affiliation with the Idaho Caregiver Alliance. Tiffeny's foci include gerontological social work, elder advocacy, and policy issues related to health and aging.

Past updates can be found at: http://www.ipha.wildapricot.org/Past-Legislature


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  • 14 Jan 2017 9:51 AM | Deleted user

    Greetings IPHA members and guests, and welcome to the 2017 Idaho Legislative Session. This session promises to be an interesting journey in terms of health policy, and I am looking forward to providing weekly updates, legislative synopses, and other resource materials along the way. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions regarding issues or items that you would like to see followed here, please feel free to contact me at: tiffenystees.policyintern@gmail.com.

    State of the State

    On Monday, January 9th, Governor Otter delivered his State of the State and Budget Address, marking the opening of the 2017 legislative session. Items germane to public health contained therein are as follows:

    The Governor had strong words for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), calling it "intrusive [and] damaging to our self-determination," but also acknowledged the difficulty of those unable to afford healthcare coverage vis a vis the, "very little support for expanding Medicaid." Governor Otter stated that he was, "hopeful more than anxious," for the incoming Trump administration in terms of seeking a solution to the complex healthcare gap issue, and the future of the ACA. However, he also encouraged Idahoans to be proactive in seeking ways to make our state less dependent on the federal government by, "continuing to build local partnerships and encouraging marketplace innovations that address...goals of improving health-care accessibility an affordability." 

    Governor Otter spoke directly to Idaho's physician shortage, and noted that his budget request would be "significantly" leveraged  for expanding medical residency programs with federal funds. The Governor also extended a welcome to the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM), currently being developed on the Idaho State University health science campus in Meridian. The ICOM will be accepting its first class of students in 2018, and "has secured 78 new residency positions...at hospitals throughout the region." Governor Otter noted that the opening of the ICOM was a step, "toward making health care more accessible for all Idahoans."

    Finally, the Governor lauded all those who helped make the Behavioral Health Crisis Center program successful, with the opening of a new facility last month in Twin Falls. His budget recommendation will include $1.5 million to cover costs remaining for fully establishing both the Twin Falls and Boise facilities. Also, the Governor will be requesting $10.3 million to build an adolescent mental health facility in the Treasure Valley to continue, "improving our statewide mental health system."

    Governor Otter's full address may be accessed here.

    Of Interest

    A recent study published by Boise State University reveals that 61.7% of 1000 Idahoans surveyed believe our state to be on the right track. However, 70.8% of those surveyed want to see action taken to close the healthcare coverage gap affecting 78,000 citizens. To read more about this survey, the full text can be accessed here

    Upcoming Advocacy Days

    February 7th: AARP Idaho, 1st floor,  Capitol

    February 21st: Consortium for Idahoans with Disabilities, 1st floor, Capitol (for more information visit CID on Facebook here

    February 27th: Alzheimer's Association Idaho, the Capitol.

    Health & Welfare Committee Activities: Highlights

    The Department of Health and Welfare adopted a temporary rule requiring that arboviral diseases, including the Zika virus, be added to the list of Diseases and Control Measures that are required to be reported, including language about how they are to be investigated and any restrictions related thereto. The Governor has found this temporary adoption in the best interest of, "public health, safety, [and] welfare." Read complete text here

    The Idaho Board of Nursing (pending review and final approval) will adopt a rule which will, "expand the pool of qualified healthcare professionals [able to] serve as preceptors for APRN students in clinical settings." This rule will include both physicians and physician assistants as those qualified to serve in this capacity. Read complete text here.

    Pending review and final approval, the Idaho Board of Pharmacy will adopt a rule modernizing telepharmacy. The docket text notes that, among minor edits, adoption of said rule will better reflect the, "potential applications of telepharmacy in different venues," and that, "the registration of a remote dispensing site has been streamlined." Read complete text here.

    The Department of Health and Welfare is adopting a new assessment tool (pending review and final approval) in compliance with the Jeff D. lawsuit.  Amendments to the pending rule offer clarifications and revisions. Read the complete text here. For more background information on the Jeff D. lawsuit, visit this DHW link.

    To Watch

    In statements made to Lewiston Tribune reporter, Bill Spence, (as reported by the Spokesman Review), newly elected Senator Dan Foreman (R-Moscow) plans to introduce a bill this session classifying abortion as murder (with the sole exception of when a mother's life is in danger), carrying penalties and charges for both mother and doctor.  Read full article text here


    Bill S1003

    Under current law, Idaho nurses who wish to retire from active nursing are allowed to place their licenses on an "emeritus" status, providing they renew said license every two years. Bill S1003 will remove the necessity for nurses to pay renewal fees, and file renewal paperwork referring to the same as, "unnecessary and inconsistent with recent changes in the Board of Nursing's licensing software." The full text of this bill can be read here 

    Bill S1004

    The Idaho Board of Nursing proposes a modest increase in its statutory compensation paid to board members for their service. The amount of compensation has remained static for "many years," in the amount of $50 per day. An increase would bring the board's compensation amount to be more inline with other, similar professional boards. The full text of this bill can be read here

    IPHA Bill Tracker

    Bill No.

    Description

    Last Action

    S1003

    Nurse emeritus licenses; license renewal & reinstatement

    01/13/2017 Introduced; read first time; referred to JR for Printing

    S1004

    Board of Nursing member raise in compensation

    01/13/2017 Introduced; read first time; referred to JR for Printing

     

    Looking  Forward

    • Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses seeks to require criminal background checks for Idaho's 2,100 licensed massage therapists, and also seeks compensation for its board members.
    • Proposed changes in chiropractic and optometrist licenses
    • Upcoming rules revisions regarding controlled substances, tobacco cessation products, and tuberculin protein products
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