BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 761|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 761
Author: Aanestad (R)
Amended: 5/6/09
Vote: 21
SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE : 11-0, 4/29/09
AYES: Alquist, Strickland, Aanestad, Cedillo, Cox,
DeSaulnier, Leno, Maldonado, Negrete McLeod, Pavley, Wolk
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
SUBJECT : Health manpower: pilot projects
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill requires the Office of Statewide
Health Planning and Development, no later than June 30,
2010, to submit an annual report to the Legislature on all
approved or renewed health workforce pilot projects.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1. Permits Office of Statewide Health Planning and
Development (OSHPD) to approve experimental health
workforce pilot projects in specified fields, and gives
priority to pilot projects in rural and central city
areas.
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2. Requires all data collected by OSHPD and the manpower
pilot projects to be public information, with due regard
for the confidentiality of individual patient
information. Project evaluation is required to be
conducted by OSHPD, and the law requires raw data from
individual projects and the data that is the basis of
OSHPD's evaluation is required to be made available on
request. OSHPD is required to provide a reasonable
opportunity for interested parties to submit dissenting
views or challenges in reports to the Legislature and
professional licensing boards.
This bill requires OSHPD, no later than June 30, 2010, to
submit an annual report to the Legislature on all approved
or renewed health workforce pilot projects and prohibits
the office from granting a continuing approval unless all
of the information that the applicant agreed to provide has
been reported.
Background
According to a February 2009 paper prepared by the Senate
Office of Research (SOR), statewide shortages of health
providers currently exist in several major health
professions, such as nursing, primary care, and allied
health. Furthermore, healthcare workforce needs are
projected to increase dramatically due to population aging,
growth, and diversity. Inability to meet health workforce
needs will have serious adverse health access, quality, and
cost consequences. The SOR report pointed out that, for
professions regulated by the state, scope of practice is
restricted by law and closely guarded by the professions.
Practitioners often assert that they are uniquely qualified
to perform the range of tasks permitted by their license
(to protect the patient's safety) and do not support
delegating tasks to associates who may not be as highly
trained. Changes to scope of practice can provide
opportunities for additional resources for certain
professions. However, policy changes must strike a balance
between public protection and ensuring a fair market place.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
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ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
accountability and transparency are critical to the
function of the Legislature. Given the limitation of
resources to address healthcare workforce shortages in the
state, pilot projects under the health workforce pilot
project program administered by the OSHPD should meet
standards of safety, effectiveness, and fiscal
responsibility. An annual report that addresses these
standards and allows Legislative oversight offers consumer
protection and accountability to taxpayers. The author's
office states that the OSHPD Healthcare Workforce Pilot
Project Program should be subject to oversight by the
Legislature, particularly given its potential impact on
public health and patient safety.
CTW:do 5/15/09 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED
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