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January 28, 2008 issue
Miscellaneous
BILL: SB 181 – Order of Priority for Health Care Decisions
AUTHOR: Sen. Sue Errington, D-Muncie
ISMA POSITION: Opposed
THIS WEEK: The bill was not heard this week in the Senate committee to which it was assigned.
As introduced, the bill would specify the order of priority by which persons are authorized to consent to health care for an individual who is incapable of consenting to health care and who has not appointed a health care representative.
The ISMA objects to the measure due to concern that specifying an absolute order of priority would complicate the already difficult situations that accompany end of life decision making.
Current law lists many individuals eligible to make such a decision in the absence of a health care representative without specifying a pecking order. Such flexibility is seen as important by the ISMA.
BILL: SB 270 – Jail Inmate Health Care
AUTHOR: Sen. Tom Wyss, R-Fort Wayne, Sen. Jim Arnold, D-LaPorte
ISMA POSITION: Opposed
THIS WEEK: The bill was not heard this week in the Senate committee to which it was assigned; therefore, the bill will not move forward in the legislative process this year.
The bill would require a county to reimburse physicians, hospitals and other health care providers at the reimbursement rate of the county’s health plan. The bill also would prohibit a sheriff from releasing a person subject to lawful detention for the purpose of allowing the county to avoid payment of a person’s health care expenses.
The ISMA considers the bill important because of experiences where county officials have not properly reimbursed for health care services provided, and have released individuals at hospitals only for the purposes of avoiding health care expenditures.
BILL: HB 1082 – Medical Exams for School Bus Drivers
AUTHOR: Rep. Bob Bischoff, D-Greendale
ISMA POSITION: Support
THIS WEEK: HB 1082 did not receive a hearing before the Jan. 24 deadline. The bill is dead for the 2008 session.
The bill would have allowed an out-of-state doctor to perform a necessary medical exam before a person is allowed to drive a school bus. Current law only allows an in-state doctor to perform this exam.
BILL: HB 1167 – Handheld Mobile Telephone Use
AUTHOR: Rep. Vanessa Summers, D-Indianapolis
ISMA POSITION: Support
THIS WEEK: HB 1167 was heard by the House Committee on Public Policy on Wednesday, Jan. 23. The committee discussed the bill in great detail and had many concerns and questions for the author. An amendment was inserted in the bill limiting enforcement to drivers under age 18. The ISMA spoke in support of the bill as amended, but the author decided to remove the legislation from consideration rather than allow it to be defeated. The bill is dead for the 2008 session.
HB 1167 would make it a class D infraction to operate a motor vehicle while using a handheld mobile telephone. The bill would exempt drivers making emergency calls, emergency personnel and medical techicians en route to the scene of an emergency.
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