Issue link: https://nnumagazine.uberflip.com/i/198060
NewsBriefs:March alt 2 4/22/09 3:53 PM Page 9 trust, and allow for rollovers from Archer Medical Savings Account to a health savings account. (Oppose) SB 92 (Aanestad) Out-of-state carriers. Among many things, this bill would allow for a health carrier domiciled in another state to offer, sell, or renew healthcare service plans to Californians without holding a license, allows for health savings accounts, removes the requirement that medical assistants and the administration of medication be authorized and supervised by a nurse practitioner, physician, or other authorized provider. (Oppose) SB 155 (Wright) Program loans for school nurses. This bill expands the Assumption Program of Loans for Education (APLE) to provide for the assumption of student loans of students who agree to be employed as a school nurse or at a school district. (Support) SB 294 (Negrete McLeod) Nurse practitioners. This bill would authorize the imple- mentation of tasks that a nurse practitioner can perform under standardized procedures which expands his or her practice. (Watch) ILLINOIS Besides CNA/NNOC-sponsored bills on ratios and single-payer, RNs in Illinois are closely watching legislation that would change some medical provider scopes of practice, among other issues. TEXAS HB 998 (Lucio) RN discipline. Requires use of administrative law judge for contested RN disciplinary cases. (Support) HB 2597 (Thompson) Lift teams. Establishes a zero-lift policy for hospitals. (Support) HB 3058 (Castro) County employment. Would establish public-sector "meet and confer" rights for RNs and other Texas counties larger than 1 million residents. (Support) HB 4353 (Gonzales) Language. Specifies level of English proficiency for RNs working in Texas counties that border Mexico. (Watch) SB 353 (Shapleigh) Hospital Medicaid payments. Establishes nonpayment under state Medicaid to hospitals for preventable conditions. (Oppose unless amended) SB 476 (Nelson) Staffing. This is a status quo staffing bill sponsored by the Texas Hospital Association and the Texas Nurses Association to thwart real RN-to-patient ratios. (Oppose unless amended) APRIL 2009 CPMC RNs File Suit to Restore Medical Benefits CALIFORNIA I n march, cna/nnoc filed a lawsuit to force California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco to abide by an arbitrator's order to restore medical benefits it had illegally rescinded. Despite two previous rulings by arbitrator John Kagel that CPMC violated the contract in January 2007 by unilaterally changing health benefits to shift more out-of-pocket costs onto RNs, the hospital has failed to reinstate the legal health plan benefits. Kagel also ordered CPMC to reimburse RNs for the extra costs they paid after their benefits were cut. CNA/NNOC estimates that reimbursements could run into hundreds of thousands of dollars. RNs held a press conference March 16 to announce the lawsuit and share stories of having to pay significant out-of-pocket costs for previously covered medical care. CPMC's blatant disregard for the arbitrator's order is part of its pattern of misconduct which includes being the only Sutter Health hospital to refuse to settle a contract with CNA/NNOC, the only hospital to violate San Francisco's paid sick leave ordinance, and W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G ongoing medical redlining and erosion of vital public health services. Beth Langer, a 27-year labor and delivery RN who had been in a car accident with her daughter in early 2007, racked up more than $5,000 in bills she had to cover herself due to CPMC's health benefit changes. "Between physical therapy and surgery on my finger, and MRIs and ultrasounds, it all adds up," said Langer, who added that it took her more than 30 hours to pursue her reimbursements and also ran into major hassles tracking down paperwork for her daughter who turned 18 in the middle of this process. "And we're going to have to keep doing this because they're going to keep continuing to charge us." Evidence presented during the arbitration showed that CPMC reduced nurses' access to care by raising co-pays, prescription drug costs, coinsurance costs, and hospitalization co-pays by up to 43 percent, and from $0 to $250 in others. CPMC argued that such changes did not have a "material" effect on the benefit, a claim that was dismissed in the ruling. CNA/NNOC's filing seeks a court order to compel CPMC to comply with the entirety of the arbitrator's order or face contempt of court. —staff report REGISTERED NURSE 9