Literature Review

Iowa introduces "Mason's Law" to become 1st state to have a pediatric palliative care center license Cision PRWeb, Des Moines, IA; by Children's Respite Homes of America; 3/31/25 In a historic move, the Iowa State Legislature has taken a groundbreaking step to support families with medically fragile children by introducing House File HF 933 (formerly HSB 267). This legislation, known as "Mason's Law," would make Iowa the first state in the nation to establish a dedicated "Pediatric Palliative Care Center" license, laying the foundation for a new model of care for children with chronic, complex, and life- threatening illnesses.

Dana Trabulsy bill aims to help families get death certificates faster Florida Politics; by Gabrielle Russon; 3/27/25  'This will solve a problem and be able to help these families move on sooner with the things that they need to do to start healing.'Families whose loved ones die in hospice are often stuck waiting for death certificates because of a backlog. One lawmaker wants to speed up the process to help them get the documents they need. Fort Pierce Republican Rep. Dana Trabulsy is pushing a bill that would allow advanced practice registered nurses providing hospice care to sign death certificates with a physician’s protocol. HB 647 passed its first committee stop Thursday with a 17-0 vote in front of the Health Professions and Programs Subcommittee.

Harmonizing federal and Florida laws on prescribing controlled substances through telehealth JD Supra; by Jeremy Burnette, Martin Dix, and John Hood; 3/24/25 Practitioners who want to prescribe controlled substances via telehealth to patients in Florida must meet the requirements of both federal and state law. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Florida legislature have recently amended the applicable federal regulations and state laws, respectively, to allow the prescribing of controlled substances via telehealth[*] without conducting an in-person evaluation under certain circumstances. There are key differences between federal and state law, so practitioners prescribing controlled substances via telehealth to patients in Florida should be aware of the particular requirements of each. [Continue reading ...]

Delaware House passes end-of-life option bill for terminally ill adults ABC Action News 6, Dover, DE; by 6abc Digital Staff; 3/20/25 Currently, medical aid for euthanasia is legal in 10 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Delaware's House of Representatives has passed a bill giving some terminally ill residents the right to take their life. The bill allows mentally capable adult residents, who have been given a prognosis of six months or less to live, the option to request and obtain life-ending medication. The bill now heads to the Senate. ... Now, for the 10th time, Delaware lawmakers are trying once again to get the bill passed. ... Governor Matt Meyer has signaled his support if the bill passes the Senate,  ...

Hospice Insights Podcast - Psychedelics and end of life care: Understanding the legal landscape Hospice Insight - The Law and Beyond; by Husch Blackwell LLP; 3/12/25 There has been a lot of buzz around psychedelics, and particularly their potential usefulness in treating existential suffering at the end of life. Husch Blackwell was the first law firm in the country to establish a Psychedelics & Emerging Therapies practice group devoted to helping clinicians, researchers, and investors navigate the complex and difficult legal and regulatory issues involved in developing new therapies in this space. In this episode, host Meg Pekarske is joined by the leaders of Husch Blackwell’s Psychedelics & Emerging Therapies practice group, Kimberly Chew, Karen Luong, and Natasha Sumner, who provide an overview of what psychedelics are, their legal status under federal and state laws, and liability considerations for clinicians.

Montana House considers bill to put more sideboards on medical assistance in dying NBC KPVI-6, Pocatello, ID; by Darrell Ehrlick; 2/26/25 ... On Wednesday, in a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee that was full of as much testimony as tears, opponents and supporters of medical aid in dying, sometimes called “physician-assisted suicide,” discussed House Bill 637, which would codify requirements for physicians to use the process. ... Demonstrating the often complex political issue that can’t be broken down by party lines, Rep. Ed Stafman, D-Bozeman, who is also a lawyer and rabbi, said he was truly conflicted on the bill, and wondered how Juras, also an attorney, viewed the proposed legislation in light of the state constitution’s right to dignity. ... Testimony from medical professionals ranged from strong support to opposition,  ... [Click here for] Here's what [Montana] House Bill 637 would do ...

Pennsylvania lawmaker introduces ‘No Patient Left Behind Act’ WHTM - PA Homepage; by Brady Doran; 2/19/25 A Pennsylvania lawmaker introduced a bill that would ensure hospitals have visitation policies that balance patient needs with public health protocol. According to Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33), elderly patients left alone in hospitals experience faster physical and cognitive decline. The No Patient Left Behind Act, introduced by Mastriano, would ensure Pennsylvanians with medical treatment or end-of-life care have support by their sides. “Hospitals should be places of healing. However, for far too many, they have become places of loneliness, despair, and unnecessary suffering,” Mastriano said.

House budget resolution draft includes massive cuts to Medicaid spending McKnights Home Care; by Foster Stubbs and Liza Berger; 2/12/25As Republicans on Wednesday put forth a draft House budget resolution that includes reductions of at least $880 billion over 10 years to Medicaid, healthcare providers and advocates cried foul.  “This budget resolution is a five-alarm fire alert for our healthcare,” Families USA said in a statement. ... Katie Smith Sloan, the CEO and president of LeadingAge, issued in a statement earlier in the day about the need to protect services for older adults in maneuvering over budget reconciliation. She warned about the effects of trimming the federal government’s Medicaid share.  

Hospice advocates push bill for a third time despite two Hochul vetoes Spectrum News 1, New York State; by susan Arbetter; 2/12/25 Last spring, Capital Tonight sounded an alarm about for-profit hospice care. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had just issued public warnings about for-profit hospice fraud in four states; it was alerting consumers to a scam in which patients were being enrolled without their knowledge by recruiters who were “selling” hospice to people who weren’t eligible. Hospice fraud like this has also been extensively reported by The New Yorker and Pro Publica. After Gov. Kathy Hochul twice vetoed a bill preventing the expansion of for-profit hospice in New York, a new bill (S.3437/ A. 565) is being introduced by the chair of the state Senate Finance Committee, Liz Krueger, and chair of the state Assembly Health Committee, Amy Paulin. “If a family is faced with a loved one that is dying, they should not also be faced with the possible incentive of money,” Assembly member Paulin told Capital Tonight. There are a variety of drawbacks to for-profit care, and there is clear data that shows profit motives drive for-profit hospice to neglect patient care and prioritize volume over quality.

Montana bill to outlaw physician-assisted death clears Senate Ravalli Republic; by Carly Graf; 2/7/25 The proposal would prohibit a health care provider from prescribing life-ending drugs at the request of a terminally ill patient. That ability currently exists largely due to a legal loophole. [Article is behind a paywall.]

Tracing value from social determinant solutionsHealth Affairs Scholar; by Len M Nichols, Timothy A Waidman, Lisa Clemans-Cope, Bowen Garrett, Kima Taylor; 1/25We develop and illustrate a framework to trace value from social determinants of health (SDOH) interventions across 4 dimensions: health, cost and quality, engagement, and equity... Prior research frequently overlooks non-healthcare savings, concluding that interventions “don’t pay for themselves.” In contrast, our findings show that when all beneficiaries are considered, many SDOH interventions yield a net positive value. Recognizing the public good nature of SDOH interventions is essential for reaching accurate policy conclusions.

Lamont proposes legislation to rein in private equity in health care CT Mirror; by Katy Golvala; 1/23/25 Connecticut officials gathered at the state Capitol Thursday to announce a proposal backed by Gov. Ned Lamont enhancing state oversight of major mergers, acquisitions and asset transfers in the health care sector. The proposal aims to “modernize” state regulation of health care deals. It would broaden the scope of transactions that require Attorney General review, establish a review process for both the Office of Health Strategy and the Attorney General’s Office and allow the Attorney General to impose conditions to prevent harm to the state’s health care system.

Health policy at a crossroads: What to watch in 2025Health Affairs; by Katie Keith; 1/21/25This article is the first in a new Health Affairs Forefront featured topic, “Health Policy at a Crossroads.” Articles in this topic will offer timely analysis of prominent regulatory, legislative, and judicial developments in health policy... 2025 could mark a major inflection point in health policy. Over the past four years, among many other changes, the nation rebounded from a once-in-a-generation pandemic; the uninsured rate reached a record low—with record enrollment across Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act marketplaces; Medicare beneficiaries began to see savings on prescription drugs; overdose deaths dropped; and women lost the right to reproductive choice under the US Constitution, leading to abortion bans in more than 20 states less than three years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.