BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 974
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 1, 2013

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                     AB 974 (Hall) - As Amended:  April 16, 2013 

          Policy Committee:                              HealthVote:19-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          Yes    Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires a hospital, transferring a patient to another  
          hospital for nonmedical reasons after first providing emergency  
          services and care, to ask the patient if there is a preferred  
          contact person who should be notified, and prior to the  
          transfer, make a reasonable attempt to contact that person about  
          the proposed transfer, as specified.   
           
           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Special fund costs to DPH (Licensing and Certification Program)  
          of $75,000 in FY 2013-14 and $128,000 in FY 2014-15 for a  
          limited term position to develop regulations.

           COMMENTS
           
           Rationale  .  Although existing laws require a hospital to care  
          for a patient in the emergency department regardless of the  
          patient's insurance status, the hospital may transfer the  
          patient once the patient is stabilized and other specified  
          protocols are met.  There is no uniform procedure or requirement  
          for alerting a patient's preferred contact person about the  
          transfer.  Supporters, including Health Access, Alzheimer's  
          Association, and California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform,  
          argue contacting next of kin is a measure of human dignity,  
          prevents confusion, and is especially important in the care of  
          the elderly and people with disabilities.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Debra Roth / APPR. / (916) 319-2081 











                                                                  AB 974
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