State Legislative/Regulatory Update

Legislation on: raising tobacco taxes redistributing Tobacco Settlement $ limiting smoking in public places expand smoking cessation coverage change Medicaid DME coverage, some

limit, some require, some reduce payment

Study health care personnel shortages, usually includes RTs

Prohibits Alcohol Vaporizing Devices Asthma management; some coverage Health care facilities must report facility

acquired infections: always include ventilator associated pneumonia

STATE RT LICENSURE

Licensure 48 states, DC & PR with state

regulation, all but MN are full licensure laws.

Alaska and Hawaii no state regulation

Some states have bills affecting all licensed professions, which includes RTs disciplinary criteria bill on student loan default and license

renewal Good Sam laws, protect from liability Active duty military have longer to renew

license

RT Specific Legislation

CT- CEs added KY-Licensure renewal times UT-RT licensure is mandatory

RT Licensure Regulations Most changes are done via regs All depends on amount of authority given in

the law to the RT Boards/Cmtes./Councils Recent changes Fees- TX, AZ, IA, MO,VA Renewal times-FL Disciplinary Criteria –CA, FL Continuing Ed issues- FL Retired Status- FL

Challenges to RT Practice ActOther Occupations:

EMS (paramedics & EMTS) DOT curricula “out of hospital” Staff shortages leads to state regs or

legislative changes Some states permit EMS in ED Now states moving towards anywhere in

the hospital Ex.: Nebraska and Iowa

Polysomnography

Challenge to RT profession across the country Efforts to create complete exemption for

individuals who are not formally educated nor competency tested to perform RT services (polysom technician and trainees)

Successful in Illinois and Vermont Limited Exemption in UT

Other track: polysom licensure Problem how do you license a cohort of

individuals who are OJTs? With no outside verifiable ed or testing

standards, responsibility falls to newly created Polsyomnography Licensure Boards

Therefore can be anything Bd. wants it to be

Polysom licensure is successful in LA (RTs exempted) NJ (RTS NOT exempted-may have to obtain

Polysom license) ND licensed under the RT Board License

only RPSGTs

2006 polysom licensure efforts underway in:

MD, NY

Pandemic Flu Preparations

Feds are worried, billions being spent to prepare.

$ to states Much concern if there are adequate

numbers of ventilators RTs should be part of state or hospital

planning. You will be on the front lines

Must stay involved, vigilant Look for opportunities and challenges