~April 2007

Legislative and Administrative Updates

Branch of Government: (Illinois) General Assembly
Title: House Bill 384
Summary: Provides that an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan must provide coverage for physician prescribed or ordered pain medication.
Sponsor: Flowers
Status: 01/23/2007 Introduced.
01/26/2007 To House Committee on Rules.
01/31/2007 To House Committee on Health Care Availability and Access.
03/20/2007 From House Committee on Health Care Availability and Access: Do pass.
03/20/2007 In House. Placed on Short Debate Calendar Second Reading.
03/28/2007 In House. Fiscal Note Filed. [full text]

Branch of Government: (New York) Assembly
Title: Assembly Bill 6811
Summary: Requires health care professionals to order, prescribe, administer and dispense pain-relieving medications in accordance with professional standards and guidelines.
Sponsor: Gottfried
Status: 03/20/2007 Introduced.
03/20/2007 To Assembly Committee on Health. [full text]

Branch of Government: (Oregon) Senate
Title: Senate Bill 230
Summary: Eliminates authority of State Board of Psychologist Examiners to deny renewal of license for failure to complete or provide documentation of previous completion of required pain management education program prior to payment of required renewal fee.
Sponsor: Courtney
Status: 01/11/2007 Introduced.
01/15/2007 To Senate Committee on Health Policy and Public Affaire.
02/05/2007 From Senate Committee on Health Policy and Public Affaire: Do pass.
02/26/2007 Passed Senate.*****To House.
03/01/2007 To House Committee on Health Care.
03/08/2007 Assigned to House Subcommittee on Health Policy.
03/13/2007 Returned to Full Committee.
03/28/2007 From House Committee on Health Care: Do pass. [full text]

Branch of Government: (Oregon) Senate
Title: Senate Bill 879
Summary: Requires Pain Management Commission to review pain management component of curriculum of certain educational institutions. Eliminates responsibility of commission to develop pain management program for providers. Adds dentists, occupational therapists and physical therapists to list of persons to be considered for membership on commission. Requires dentists, occupational therapists and physical therapists to complete pain management education program.
Sponsor: COMMITTEE ON Health Policy and Public Affaire (at the request of Oregon Pain Commission)
Status: 03/07/2007 Introduced.
03/14/2007 To Senate Committee on Health and Human Services.
04/02/2007 From Senate Committee on Health and Human Services: Do pass with amendment.
04/02/2007 Printed A Engrossed Text. [full text]

Branch of Government: (Oregon) Senate
Title: Senate Bill 880
Summary: Authorizes certain health care professionals to use controlled substances in treatment of patient’s pain. Exempts health care professional from discipline by health professional regulatory board for prescribing or administering controlled substances in course of treatment of person’s pain with goal of controlling patient’s pain for duration of pain. Repeals requirement that before beginning treatment for intractable pain, physician provide person and person sign written notice disclosing material risks associated with use of controlled substances to be used in course of treatment.
Sponsor: COMMITTEE ON Health Policy and Public Affaire (at the request of Oregon Pain Commission)
Status: 03/07/2007 Introduced.
03/14/2007 To Senate Committee on Health and Human Services.
03/28/2007 From Senate Committee on Health and Human Services: Do pass with amendment.
03/28/2007 Printed A Engrossed Text.
04/02/2007 Passed Senate.*****To House. [full text]

Branch of Government: (Texas) House of Representatives
Title: House Bill 574
Summary: Relates to the rights of a patient receiving treatment for severe chronic or acute pain. [Excerpt] A patient who suffers from severe chronic or acute pain may:
(1) request or reject the use of any or all modalities to relieve the pain;
(2) choose from appropriate pharmacologic treatment options to relieve the pain, including opiate medications, without first having to submit to surgery or a medical procedure that results in the destruction of a nerve or other body tissue or the implantation of a drug delivery system or device; and
(3) ask the patient ’s physician to provide an identifying notice of a prescription to treat the pain for purposes of emergency treatment or law enforcement identification.
Sponsor: McClendon
Status: 01/11/2007 Introduced.
03/22/2007 To House Committee on Public Health. [full text]

Branch of Government: (Utah) House of Representatives
Title: House Bill 137 (Pain Medication Management and Education)
Summary: Requires the Department of Health to coordinate with the Attorney General, the Labor Commission, and the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensure to investigate causes and risk factors and solutions for deaths and nonfatal complications of prescription opiate use and misuse in the state by using the Controlled Substance Database, to study risks associated with opiate medications used for chronic pain, and educate health care providers, insurers, and the general public on management of pain.
Sponsor: Daw
Status: 03/13/2007 Signed by Governor. [full text]

Branch of Government: (West Virginia) Senate
Title: Senate Bill 395
Summary: Relating to the management of pain by physicians; eliminating the definition of "intractable pain" and defining the word "pain"; and making conforming amendments to the Pain Management Act.
Sponsor: Prezioso
Status: 01/31/2007 Introduced.
01/31/2007 To Senate Committee on Health and Human Resources.
02/09/2007 From Senate Committee on Health and Human Resources: Do pass as amended.
02/13/2007 Committee amendment adopted on Senate floor.
02/15/2007 To Senate Committee on Health and Human Resources.
02/21/2007 From Senate Committee on Health and Human Resources: Do pass as amended.
02/22/2007 Amended on Senate floor.
02/22/2007 Passed Senate.*****To House.
02/22/2007 To House Committee on Health and Human Resources.
03/07/2007 From House Committee on Health and Human Resources: Do pass as amended.
03/07/2007 To House Committee on Judiciary. [full text]

Branch of Government: (Wyoming) Senate
Title: Senate Bill 131 (Wyoming Cancer Control Act)
Summary: Establishes Wyoming state commission on pain within the Department of Health. The commission shall focus on the pain caused by cancer as well as other sources of acute and chronic pain including pain in the hospice setting.
Sponsor: Scott
Status: 01/15/2007 Introduced.
01/16/2007 To Senate Committee on Labor, Health and SOCIAL Services.
01/24/2007 From Senate Committee on Labor, Health and SOCIAL Services: Do pass with amendment.
01/24/2007 To Senate Committee on Appropriations.
01/31/2007 From Senate Committee on Appropriations: Do pass with amendment.
02/02/2007 Committee amendment adopted on Senate floor.
02/06/2007 Passed Senate.*****To House.
02/07/2007 To House Committee on Labor, Health and Social Services.
02/15/2007 From House Committee on Labor, Health and Social Services: Do pass with amendment.
02/15/2007 Rereferred to House Committee on Appropriations.
02/21/2007 From House Committee on Appropriations: Do pass with amendment.
02/23/2007 Committee amendment adopted on House floor.
02/27/2007 Passed House. *****To Senate for concurrence.
02/27/2007 Senate refused to concur in House amendments.
02/27/2007 *****To Conference Committee.
02/28/2007 Conference Committee Report adopted by Senate.
02/28/2007 Conference Committee Report adopted by House.
03/01/2007 Eligible for Governor’s desk.
03/15/2007 Signed by Governor.
03/15/2007 Chapter No. 218 [full text]