Literature Review

Minnesota lawmakers kick off debate on joining other states that permit physician-assisted suicideThe Associated Press, by Steve Karnowski; 1/25/24The Minnesota Legislature kicked off debate Thursday on whether the state should join the list of those that allow physician-assisted suicide.

Virginia legislators seek to become 12th jurisdiction to legalize medical aid in dying Courthouse News Service, by Joe Dodson; 1/22/24Virginia state Senator Jennifer Boysko held back tears and read a letter written by her friend U.S. Representative Jennifer Wexton, who suffers from progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), in support of medically assisted death. 

New bill would give California parents more control over whether state can store their kid's DNACBS News / TV, by Julie Watts; 1/17/24Should you have the right to know that the state is storing your child's DNA and that researchers or law enforcement may use it without your consent? ... A 2018 statewide CBS News poll found that the majority of new parents did know about the lifesaving test. Three quarters (of new parents) had no idea the state was storing their baby's leftover bloodspots after the required test genetic test was complete.

How history has shaped racial and ethnic health disparities: A timeline of policies and eventsKFF, with thanks to Daniel Dawes, Gilbert Gee, Michelle Tong; ongoing reference for health policy research, polling and journalismThis timeline offers a historical view of significant U.S. federal policies and events spanning the early 1800s to today that have influenced present-day health disparities. It covers policies that directly impacted health coverage and access to care, relevant events in medicine, social and economic policies and developments that influence health, and efforts to tackle inequalities. ... While not exhaustive, the timeline aims to provide context for addressing disparities, acknowledging the complex history that shapes racial and ethnic health and health care disparities that persist today.

State bill would allow doctor-assisted suicide in some casesKeene (NH) SentinelDecember 25, 2023A bill pending in the N.H. Legislature would allow doctors to prescribe medication some terminal patients could take to end their lives. Under House Bill 1283, which has bipartisan support, New Hampshire would join 11 other states that permit medical assistance in dying. Lawmakers will consider it in the legislative session that begins early next month. 

Assisted-suicide bills in Mass. present risks to patients, publicBy Madelyn Hicks, MDWorcester (MA) Telegram & GazetteDecember 17, 2023The Massachusetts Legislature’s Committee on Public Health is considering two bills that would legalize physician-assisted suicide in the commonwealth. As a Massachusetts physician, as a psychiatrist who treats persons with mental health problems, and as a daughter who has dealt with the loss of a parent to a debilitating illness, I am concerned by flaws in these bills that present risks to individual patients and the public. Trust in the health care system would likely be damaged for many, but especially for communities that have experienced health care inequity who have not been consulted on these bills. Disparities already exist in end-of-life care so that Black, Hispanic and LGBTQ patients are less likely to receive palliative care or hospice care. 

Lawmakers bring PACE expansion bill back into playMcKnight’s Home Care DailyDecember 15, 2023Two members of Congress reintroduced a bill that would strengthen and expand the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and John Moolenaar (R-MI) introduced the PACE Expanded Act on Dec. 5. The sweeping legislation, if passed, would promote the expansion of existing PACE programs, make it easier to establish new programs, make PACE more affordable for Medicare beneficiaries and create a pilot program for testing the PACE model within new populations. 

In letter to CMS, lawmakers call for more MA transparencyMcKnight’s Home Care DailyDecember 11, 2023Four senators demanded the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services make more data surrounding prior authorizations in Medicare Advantage publicly available. “In the last few years, federal watchdogs have released numerous reports examining concerning trends in MA,” Sens. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), the letter’s signees, said in a statement. “Without publicly available plan-level data ... policymakers and regulators are unable to adequately oversee the program and legislate potential reforms.” The senators specifically requested CMS gather and publish data regarding prior authorization requests, denials and appeals, justifications for denials and the timeliness of prior authorization decisions. 

New Jersey Passes Community-Based Palliative Care Medicaid BillPalliative Care NewsDecember 8, 2023A New Jersey state bill recently passed that establishes community-based palliative care benefits under Medicaid. The new legislation includes coverage for specialized medical care, emotional and spiritual support, as well as pain and symptom relief for Medicaid beneficiaries with advanced illnesses, including both adult and pediatric populations.