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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 15, 2007

A Capitol Perspective
A column by State Senator Pat Browne
16th Senatorial District

Senate Moves on Health Care Agenda

Even as the Legislature wrapped up work on the 2007-08 state budget, the Senate also recently approved several bills that will bring significant changes and noteworthy improvements to health care in Pennsylvania.

One measure that I co-sponsored, Senate Bill 968 – which was signed into law on July 20, 2007 – will require all health care facilities to implement infection control plans. Incentives would also be provided for facilities to reduce these infections. The state Patient Safety Authority will oversee the reporting of infections and track those numbers against the national rate.

This is a major step forward toward improving health care, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that more than two million patients a year are affected by hospital-acquired infections.

The Legislature also passed five bills to expand the scope of practice for many qualified health care professionals. These bills lift restrictions on many non-physician professionals to allow them to perform services they are trained to provide.

The package of bills passed by the General Assembly includes legislation to expand the duties of certified nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists and physician assistants.

In addition to the scope of practice bills, the Senate recently passed a measure to create a cancer drug repository for safe, unused medications. Senate Bill 638, which I co-sponsored, would give uninsured and underinsured patients access to the medications they need through participating pharmacies and clinics.

The cost of these medications is often high due to the amount spent on research and development, so this legislation will help many low-income cancer patients clear this financial hurdle.

In addition to the measures already approved by the Senate, the Governor has proposed a number of additional health care initiatives that the General Assembly will consider in the fall. We will be looking at the costs and benefits of these proposals to determine ways that we can continue to improve our health care system without overburdening our taxpayers.

Contact:

Matt Moyer
(610) 821-8468

State Senator Pat Browne represents the 16th Senatorial District and serves as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.