plugger
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
Posts: 226
PostPosted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 3:50 pm Post subject: Colorado bill HB1131 (and good to see DE back!)
Like a phoenix DE seems to be rising once again from the ashes - as if we were ever gone. Before the hearing and stakeholders' meeting I did make sure I announced I worked with DE - and I'm proud of it.
*********************************************************************************
Arlene
Site Admin
Joined: 02 Feb 2003
Posts: 52
PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:46 am Post subject: Oh! If They only knew!
All those that have provided information to the attorney's THANK YOU!
This has been a safe way for healthcare workers to educate this group of attorney's. Since there is no "Whistleblowing" immunity everyone is confidential. Physicians also thanks for speaking out!
It is providing a forum for patients to ask questions and to see if they qualify.........
It takes all of us to speak out! I would love to be in the courtroom the first day to honor ALL those that have been harmed in this industry. My thoughts will go out to Dr. Bays, Frank Brown, Brent Smith, Sonja Jones, Victor Barber and countless others.
Keep circulating the lawyers phone numbers! You will be protected.
*********************************************************************************
plugger
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
Posts: 226
PostPosted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 2:12 pm Post subject: Colorado bill HB1131
Since all systems are go once again, I hope you don't mind if I post a link to the Colorado bill we have been working on for tech training standards - there should be a link for HB1131 on the page:
Colorado_bill_HB1131*********************************************************************************
View user's profile Send private message
plugger
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
Posts: 226
PostPosted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 2:15 pm Post subject: bonus
And for those into it, have the latest redraft I got:
REDRAFT
3.28.07
Double underlining
denotes changes
from prior draft
*HB1131_L.003*
HB1131_L.003
HOUSE COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE REPORT
_______________________________
Chairman of Committee Date
Committee on Appropriations.
After consideration on the merits, the Committee recommends the
following:
HB07-1131 be amended as follows:
1 Amend the Health and Human Services Committee Report, dated
2 February 1, 2007, page 1, line 2, strike "A" and substitute "ANY";
3 line 3 of the committee report, after "CREDENTIALING", insert "OR
4 DETERMINING THE COMPETENCY OF".
5 Page 2 of the committee report, strike line 11 and substitute the
6 following:
7 "CREDENTIALING PROGRAM.
8 (c) NOTHING IN THIS SUBSECTION (3) SHALL PROHIBIT:
9 (I) A PERSON FROM PROVIDING DIALYSIS CARE TO HIMSELF OR
10 HERSELF OR IN-HOME, GRATUITOUS DIALYSIS CARE PROVIDED TO A PERSON
11 BY A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER WHO DOES NOT REPRESENT HIMSELF OR
12 HERSELF TO BE A HEMODIALYSIS TECHNICIAN;
13 (II) A PERSON PARTICIPATING IN A HEMODIALYSIS TECHNICIAN
14 TRAINING PROGRAM FROM PERFORMING THE DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS OF A
15 HEMODIALYSIS TECHNICIAN IF:
16 (A) THE PERSON IS UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION OF A
17 PHYSICIAN, OR A REGISTERED NURSE EXPERIENCED OR TRAINED IN
18 DIALYSIS TREATMENT, WHO IS ON THE PREMISES AND AVAILABLE FOR
19 PROMPT CONSULTATION OR TREATMENT; AND
REDRAFT
3.28.07
Double underlining
denotes changes
from prior draft
*HB1131_L.003* -2-
1 (B) THE PERSON RECEIVES HIS OR HER CREDENTIALS FROM A
2 NATIONAL CREDENTIALING PROGRAM WITHIN EIGHTEEN MONTHS AFTER
3 THE DATE THE PERSON ENROLLED IN THE TRAINING PROGRAM.".";
4 strike lines 18 through 22 of the committee report and substitute the
5 following:
6 "line 14, strike "NOTICE" and substitute "DIALYSIS TREATMENT CLINIC",
7 and strike "CONSUMERS" and substitute "CONSUMERS, EITHER IN THE
8 PUBLIC NOTICE REQUIRED BY THIS SUBSECTION (5) OR IN WRITTEN
9 MATERIALS PROVIDED TO CONSUMERS,";
10 line 15, strike "DEPARTMENT AND SHALL" and substitute "DEPARTMENT,
11 INCLUDING";
12 line 16, strike "DETAIL";
13 line 18, after "NOTICE", insert "OR WRITTEN MATERIALS";".
** *** ** *** **
*********************************************************************************
View user's profile Send private message
plugger
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
Posts: 226
PostPosted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 2:19 pm Post subject: davita lobbying
I talked to my rep and davita is still lobbying hard against the bill and trying to kill it in the appropriations committee - hearing April 11th. My rep - John Kefalas - told me more patient stories would be helpful - so if you haven't written yet, now would be a good time.
As always stories from Colorado would be given preferential treatment, but I told him stories from elsewhere concerning davita and Fresenius could also show these companies have problems.
Again, stories can be anonymous.
Contact info:
Colorado State Representative John Kefalas, District 52
email: john.kefalas.house@state.co.us
State Capitol phone: (303)866-4569
home phone: 970-221-1135
Mailing address:
Rep. John Kefalas, District 52
c/o Colorado State Capitol
200 East Colfax
Denver CO 80203
If you need some inspiration I fairly recently dug up this stat:
Since 1991:
children age 10?19, mortality due to infection ? up 19%
(children age 10?19, cardiovascular mortality ? up 62%)
USRDS 2006 ADR
We have more.
*********************************************************************************
plugger
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
Posts: 226
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:27 pm Post subject: Heads up
I talked to my rep and he is going to put out a legislative alert here soon - within the next day or two; he will probably be asking people to write in to appropriations committee members. He mentioned Davita has been quiet lately, but one of their main lobbyists is coming to town; I don't know if they are a bit more subdued or this is the calm before the storm.
*********************************************************************************
View user's profile Send private message
plugger
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
Posts: 226
PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 5:28 am Post subject: Alert Reply with quote
HB07-1131: HEMODIALYSIS TECHNICIAN TRAINING STANDARDS & CERTIFICATION
4/6/07 - LEGISLATIVE ACTION ALERT
TAKE ACTION
? Contact House Appropriations Committee Members (see names below) before 4/11/07 and express your support for HB07-1131 (Sponsored by: Rep. John Kefalas, HD-52).
? HB-1131 is scheduled to be heard by this committee on Wednesday, 4/11 starting at 7:30 AM; it is critical that members hear from constituents - why this bill is important - improve kidney dialysis patients? lives.
? Identify yourself and tell them if you are a constituent. Legislators pay more attention to constituents.
WHAT HB-1131 DOES
? Requires the state board of Health to adopt rules specifying the minimum training and competency standards for hemodialysis technicians and establishes a process to verify that technicians have been certified by a national credentialing program.
? Links this certification requirement to the licensing of dialysis treatment clinics; after the effective date - 1/1/09, a licensed dialysis clinic may not allow a person to practice unless that person is certified or in a training program working towards certification; provides 18 months for technician to be trained and certified.
BACKGROUND
Traditionally, hemodialysis treatments have been administered by RNs but increasingly underpaid and poorly trained technicians have taken on this task. The results are rising costs and worsening patient care. Infections and mortality due to improperly administered treatments are increasing and the hospitalization of these patients place an undue burden on the Medicare system.
TALKING POINTS
? Compared to other industrialized nations, the U.S. far outpaces others? in its hemodialysis mortality rates. ?Gross mortality as a simple percent has been quoted by many investigators as being 24 percent in the U.S., 12?14 percent in Europe, and 9 percent in Japan.? ? USRDS 2006 ADR
? Since 1991: children age 10?19, mortality due to infection ? up 19% children age 10?19, cardiovascular mortality ? up 62% USRDS 2006 ADR
? Infection rates from secondary
sources due to dialysis treatments are also on the rise. Since 1993: Pneumonia ? up 12%, Cellulitis ? up 20%, Bacteremia/septicemia ? up 16% USRDS 2006 ADR
? ??25 to 50 percent of all hemodialysis patient admissions and hospital days are attributable to vascular access placement and related complications, contributing over $1 billion to total Medicare inpatient costs annually.? Federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services press release, March 17, 2005.
? Healthcare expenditures relating to dialysis treatments are skyrocketing. In 1991 expenditures totaled $8.0 billion. By 2001, costs had reached $22.8 billion almost triple earlier level of expenditures. USRDS 2003 ADR
? ?Techs who do not have adequate training have caused the death of patients. In states that do not have tech licensing, the techs work under the RN license and that puts the RN at risk of losing their license for a tech mistake. Hence many RN's do not want to work in a unit where the techs are putting the RN license on the line.? Founding RN, DialysisEthics
HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE MEMBERS (13)
Representative Bernie Buescher: 303-866-2583 Bernie.buescher.house@state.co.us
Representative Jack Pommer: 303-866-2780 Jack.pommer.house@state.co.us
Representative Dorothy Butcher: 303-866-2968 Dorothy.butcher.house@state.co.us
Representative Michael Garcia: 303-866-3911 Michael@michaelgarcia.info
Representative Joel Judd: 303-866-2925 repjoeljudd@qwest.net
Representative James Kerr: 303-866-2939 James.kerr.house@state.co.us
Representative Tom Massey: 303-866-2747 Tom.massey.house@state.co.us
Representative Anne McGihon: 303-866-2921 Anne.mcgihon.house@state.co.us
Representative Frank McNulty: 303-866-2936 Frank.mcnulty.house@state.co.us
Representative Jim Riesberg: 303-866-2953 Jim.riesberg.house@state.co.us
Representative Glen Vaad: 303-866-2943 Glen.vaad.house@state.co.us
Representative Paul Weissmann: 303-866-2920 reppaul@aol.com
Representative Al White: 303-866-2949 Al.white.house@state.co.us
