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