Transcript Highlights:

• WHEN THEY REMOVED C IT WAS ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES BUT THE PROGRAM WAS EMBEDDED IN THE NURSING HOME
• AS YOU HAVE HEARD THERE ARE 500 NURSING SCHOOLS IN FLORIDA YET WE HAVE A NURSING SHORTAGE.
• AND THEY WANT TO BECOME A NURSE AND WE NEED NURSES AND I APPRECIATE EVERY NURSE OUT THERE BECAUSE IT'S
• THE STUDENT NURSE WILL TAKE THE TEST AT THE END HER AT THAT POINT SHE IS A GRADUATE NURSE.
• OUR NURSES COME UNDER THE BOARD OF NURSING. WE ARE NOT CREATING ANOTHER LAYER OF BUREAUCRACY.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in facilities.
• That was really the genesis of facility fees. That was really the genesis of facility fees.
• I'm a real nurse and a nurse practitioner.
• Mexico Nurse Practitioner Council representation, and deans of colleges of nursing. ...nurse practitioner
• I've been a nurse for 40 years. Do we have people applying to nursing...

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I have a question about facilities that are not nursing homes, but we had a bill earlier that was kind
• I just thought if it was either a nursing home or an in-house hospice care facility.
• Under the definition of facility, it means non-hospital facility, including a nursing facility, assisted
• facilities to provide hospice care to nursing home patients in facilities like that.
• You've got hospice care in non-hospice inpatient licensed facilities, which would be more like nursing

Summary: The House Committee on Health and Welfare met on May 12 and considered a wide range of health, social services, and licensing measures. Early in the meeting, the committee reported favorably HCR 98, which asks the Louisiana Department of Health to study whether SNAP recipients should be allowed to use benefits for grocery delivery fees. The author said the proposal would not change SNAP rules directly, but would examine access issues for elderly, disabled, rural, and transportation-limited residents. The committee also advanced SB 273, a hospice patient-protection bill requiring documentation of hydration, nutrition, and care decisions in inpatient licensed facilities where hospice is provided, with LDH oversight and enforcement authority; members discussed how responsibility is shared between facilities and outside hospice providers, and adopted technical amendments. The committee then approved SB 415, creating the Empower Louisiana Food Purchase Program, a privately funded charitable food-card program intended to let nonprofits distribute food-only cards to people in need. Members and the author discussed whether the cards would be reloadable, which retailers could accept them, and whether prepared foods could be included; LDH said the program could use all SNAP-authorized retailers, and the bill was reported favorably with amendments. SB 437, a cleanup bill for judicially referred residential substance abuse treatment facilities, was also reported favorably with amendments after LDH clarified that facilities providing treatment must be licensed, while residences only housing individuals would not be. SB 451, updating newborn hearing screening terminology and reporting requirements, was reported favorably after testimony that the bill would strengthen early detection and follow-up for deaf or hard-of-hearing children. Later, the committee advanced SB 426, which modernizes the addictive disorder regulatory authority and creates a formal peer support specialist licensing pathway. Supporters said the bill would strengthen the behavioral health workforce, improve accountability, and create a progression from peer support to higher credentials; the committee adopted technical and transition amendments and reported the bill favorably with amendments. SB 236, requiring LDH annual reviews and reports on kidney disease treatment services in Medicaid, was also reported favorably with amendments. Additional measures approved included SB 39, allowing provisional licenses for massage therapy graduates; SB 190, which tightens oversight of poor-performing nursing facilities in the CMS Special Focus Facility Program and sets an 18-month improvement timeline; SB 124, allowing hospitals within the same health system to share peer review records without waiving privilege; HR 174, urging study of fenbendazole as a possible cancer treatment; SB 270, allowing terminally ill patients to use medical marijuana in health care facilities; SB 359, changing terms for certain Morehouse Parish hospital district commissioners; and HR 194, requesting de-identified school visual acuity screening data for research. The committee adjourned after reporting all measures favorably, several with amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many of the nurses who have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or a Master of Science in Nursing have been
• has to be a nurse.
• We have to follow the New Mexico Board of Nursing rules on who can teach the nurses or teach our nursing
• Since I'm the nursing program director, I can only track the nursing students.
• . recovery facilities.

Transcript Highlights:

• <02:00:30.800> facilities assisted living and nursing facilities assisted living and nursing
• nursing home or assisted living facility nursing home or assisted living facility in<02:10:52.159
• <02:27:06.160> and<02:27:06.319> nursing assisted living facilities and nursing assisted
• know that these nur uh nursing know that these nur uh nursing facilities<02:39:03.600> in
• in nursing facilities is neglect. neglect. neglect.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• nursing facilities overall.
• nursing facilities and at skilled nursing facilities overall.<00:26:07.760> Uh<00:26:08.080><
• , skilled nursing facility side as well as for assisted living.
• July 2014, 60% of nursing facilities were owned by nonprofits.
• nursing homes and um these facilities nursing homes and um these facilities and<01:14:16.000>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• need it. 59% of skilled nursing facility...
• Skilled nursing facilities or hospitals backs up the entire system.
• out of a skilled nursing facility into an adult family home and assisted living.
• Most of those folks went directly into a skilled nursing facility.
• The skilled nursing facility got an enhanced rate to admit them.

Summary: The committee met for what was described as its final meeting, with members and staff reflecting on the work of the Joint Legislative Executive Committee on Aging and Long-Term Care and noting that future work would likely shift to standing health and wellness committees. The meeting began with introductions and then moved into updates on major initiatives that originated from the committee, including Washington Cares, the Dementia Action Collaborative, and Medicaid long-term care programs. Presenters emphasized that these efforts were developed through long-term legislative-executive collaboration and were intended to help Washington prepare for the state’s aging population. On Washington Cares, DSHS described the program’s development from a 2014 research effort to its 2019 enactment, premium collection beginning in 2023, portability improvements in 2024, and 2025 changes including a grandfathered opt-out fix and a framework for supplemental private long-term care insurance. The agency said benefits are expected to go fully live next summer, with a pilot of up to 400 applicants planned for next January. On dementia policy, the Dementia Action Collaborative reported on the state dementia plan, Project ECHO training for providers, and pilot dementia-capable community programs at area agencies on aging, citing preliminary results that about 85% of family caregivers said services helped people remain at home. DSHS also reviewed Medicaid Transformation Project initiatives, including Medicaid Alternative Care, Tailored Supports for Older Adults, presumptive eligibility, and health-related social needs benefits such as rental assistance, nutrition support, and home modifications. The committee then heard an emerging issues panel from ombuds and disability advocates. Patricia Hunter of the long-term care ombuds program raised concerns about staffing shortages, resident rights, surveillance technology, private equity ownership of facilities, and illegal discharges or evictions. Betty Sweeterman of the Developmental Disabilities Ombuds discussed people stuck in hospitals without medical need, gaps in behavioral health services for people with developmental disabilities, and the need for better workforce training. Todd Carlyle of Disability Rights Washington urged expansion and bundling of community supports such as PACT, GOSH, and peer bridgers to reduce repeated institutionalization and support discharge from inpatient psychiatric settings. Provider and labor panels followed, with nursing home, assisted living, supported living, and union representatives all emphasizing workforce shortages, low wages, Medicaid rate inadequacy, case management bottlenecks, behavioral health complexity, and the need for more flexible care models and stronger accountability for rate increases. No formal votes were taken; the meeting ended with public comment on manufactured housing and closing remarks thanking staff and participants for the committee’s work.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so in nursing, we have this the science part of nursing and the art part of nursing, and we work
• nurses.
• They were techs, and then they came to our nursing program and became nurses, and then took jobs as nurses
• nurses.
• How are we going to make more nurses and better nurses?

Transcript Highlights:

• staff facilities that require nursing staff facilities that require nursing staff other other other
• and the agency or between the nurse and the facility, but it's between the agency and the facility,
• facility, I believe you stated that these hiring hospitals or nursing facilities actually pay more for
• I believe you stated that these hiring hospitals or nursing facilities actually pay more for a nurse
• Okay, we don't have a contract with the nurse, and they may go to two facilities or one facility and

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > in<00:12:25.680> New in nursing facility setting here in New in nursing facility setting
• nursing uh facilities for expensive than nursing uh facilities for each<00:17:00.639> enrolly<
• > the know nursing facility setting into the know nursing facility setting into the community<
• nursing uh facilities and that nursing uh facilities and that population.<00:58:04.000> You
• they have to go into a nursing facility. they have to go into a nursing facility.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Committee to Study Long-Term Managed Care met to approve prior minutes and outline its schedule, with meetings set for September 24 and September 29 ahead of an October 1 report deadline. The chair said the committee would use the first two meetings to digest testimony, likely ask follow-up questions of DHS, and then work toward conclusions and a report format. The minutes from the previous meeting were approved unanimously. The main testimony came from Sharon Alexander of Amera Health, who argued in favor of moving from fee-for-service Medicaid long-term services and supports to a managed LTSS model. She described managed LTSS as a capitated, quality-driven system used in about 26 states, and said it can improve care coordination, accountability, access to home- and community-based services, and budget predictability. She cited Amera Health’s experience in Pennsylvania and Delaware, including care coordination, housing and transportation support, caregiver programs, and quality benchmarks tied to state oversight. She also said nursing facilities would remain an important option for people who need that level of care. Committee members asked about how the programs are administered, how rates are set, how care managers work, and how quality is measured. Alexander said states contract with managed care organizations at actuarially sound capitated rates, with annual contracts, reporting, and oversight. She explained that care managers typically conduct quarterly assessments and follow up after trigger events such as hospitalization, and that housing coordinators may assist with transitions to the community. On quality, she said states use CMS-related and HCBS benchmark measures covering service timeliness, care planning, transitions, and other outcomes, and that New Hampshire could build on existing metrics rather than starting from scratch. She also noted that rural areas face workforce and transportation challenges, which managed care plans try to address through technology and self-direction options.

Transcript Highlights:

• RESPONSES FROM NURSING HOME FACILITIES EVERY TWO YEARS.
• FACILITIES.
• CASINOS THIS PAST THE TEAM BEGIN UPDATING OUR TAX FORMS TO INCLUDE FOR THE NURSING HOME FACILITIES.
• FOR THE NURSING HOME PATIENT SAFETY CULTURE SURVEY, THE FACILITY MAY CONTRACT WITH A THIRD-PARTY ENTITY
• BECAUSE REALLY IN OUR NURSING HOME FACILITIES FOR ALL SUMMERS PATIENTS, MEMORY CARE, THE BEST PERSON

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:12:16.800> facilities,<00:12:17.519> I >> In terms of the nursing facilities
• , I >> In terms of the nursing facilities, I think<00:12:17.839> we're<00:12:18.079>
• Thank you to the nursing facilities that were willing to allow the licensing fee to go up to invest in
• nursing facility population. nursing facility population.
• nursing facilities under a traditional nursing facilities under a traditional fee<00:25:13.279><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Committee to Study Long-Term Managed Care approved the prior meeting minutes as amended after correcting the first paragraph. The chair then outlined the committee’s plan to produce a preliminary report by October 1, with additional meetings to follow, since some questions remain about the federal One Big Beautiful Bill (OB3) and its effects on Medicaid financing and managed care. The main discussion focused on New Hampshire nursing home funding and how ProShare and MQUIP work. Members reviewed Medicaid rates, supplemental payments, intergovernmental transfers, and the role of federal matching funds. The chair and Mr. Litman concluded that OB3’s phase-down of payments above the Medicare rate likely would not directly eliminate ProShare or MQUIP in New Hampshire, but uncertainty remains about intergovernmental transfers and about how these payments would function if the state moved nursing facilities into managed care. Mr. Litman said managed care would likely require waivers for supplemental payments, and Texas was cited as an example of a state operating under such waivers. The committee also discussed dual eligibles, DNIP, PACE, and the possibility of carving out HCBS from nursing facility services. DHS said its managed care contract would allow the state to use MCOs for DNIP, with the goal of better coordination between Medicaid and Medicare, while PACE would likely require more study and might be more feasible in populated counties. Members also reviewed OB3’s new presumptive eligibility provisions and a state waiver request modeled on Washington’s approach, plus a separate grant for transitioning people from facilities back to the community. The rural health transformation fund was discussed as a possible source for workforce, telehealth, mobile integrated health, and other support investments, but not for direct construction or major building renovation. County representatives emphasized that any county role in PACE or DNIP would require significant vetting, infrastructure, capital investment, and a realistic timeline. The meeting ended with the chair saying the draft report would outline issues and possible alternatives, but not recommendations yet, and the committee adjourned without taking further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are ways that nursing facility profits can be obscured from view.
• My name is John Unruh, and I'm a CPA that's been working with nursing. specifically on nursing facility
• Nursing facilities are currently under two spending mandates today.
• We represent nursing facilities all across Texas. the state.
• One thing first, and that is, I don't want to brag about nursing facilities.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is especially applicable with skilled nursing facilities, behavioral health centers, and long-term
• We have limited skilled nursing facility and long-term care facility, particularly long-term acute care
• to remain, and individuals who need a higher level of care need access to nursing facilities.
• Unhoused Oklahomans or various workforce initiatives for nursing facility staff.
• Between homeless services, health systems, and nursing facilities to work to create a better network

Summary: The meeting focused on hospital “avoidable days” and the difficulty of discharging medically stable patients who still need post-acute placement or social services. Presenters from Saint Anthony Hospital Midtown, the Oklahoma Hospital Association, City Care, and OU Health described common barriers including lack of skilled nursing, rehab, long-term care, behavioral health, and hospice placements; insurance prior authorization delays; Medicaid and Social Security eligibility delays; guardianship and Adult Protective Services bottlenecks; limited home health and private duty nursing; and the challenge of placing unhoused, uninsured, or medically complex patients. Several speakers emphasized that these delays reduce bed availability, increase emergency department boarding, contribute to staff burnout, and expose patients to hospital-acquired conditions and other harms. The testimony included multiple examples of patients remaining in acute care for days, weeks, or even months after being medically ready for discharge, including patients awaiting guardianship, disability determinations, or placement in facilities willing to accept them. Speakers also highlighted special populations such as patients with behavioral health or substance use disorders, medically fragile children, patients with criminal histories, and unhoused individuals who need respite or hospice care. City Care described its planned 40-bed medical respite facility, set to open in 2027, as a way to provide clinical support and housing navigation for patients too sick to recover on the street or in shelters. Witnesses recommended policy and system changes such as standardizing preauthorization protocols, expanding rural swing-bed and home-based services, increasing public guardianship resources, improving data collection on homelessness, expanding private duty nursing hours, and creating more placement options for complex patients. They also suggested better coordination between hospitals, DHS, APS, the Health Department, and post-acute facilities, including a database of facility services to improve discharge planning and keep patients closer to home. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the transcript, but the chair indicated the issue would require collaboration across multiple agencies and partners.

Transcript Highlights:

• Working as a nurse in a correctional facility presents unique security challenges, requiring nurses to
• Correctional nurses work side by side with correctional officers and operational staff during facility
• and retention of correctional nurses, just as the facility recruits and retains correctional officers
• Nursing in a facility like this? Yes.
• So they're a very dangerous job, and that's not what they learn in nursing school in a correctional facility

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several retirement and workforce-related bills. House Bill 2980 would place county correctional nurses and certain medical staff into Group 4 retirement. Representative Trino, Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian, and nurse manager Leanne Cameron argued that correctional nurses work in dangerous, high-stress settings with frequent contact with incarcerated people, high rates of mental illness and substance use in the jail population, and significant workplace violence, and that the change would help recruitment and retention with limited statewide fiscal impact. The committee also heard Senate Bill 210, which would create a commission to study additional regular compensation and annual expenses for members of the General Court. Senator John Keenan said Massachusetts has high leadership stipends compared with other states and argued the current structure can affect independence and public trust. Representative O'Day testified on House Bill 2928 to extend Group 2 retirement to additional Department of Children and Families social workers, and SEIU 509 witnesses described frequent transport of children, crisis response, threats, assaults, and other high-risk duties that they said match Group 2 work. Additional testimony supported House Bill 2943 for DDS service coordinators and supervisors, with witnesses describing home visits in unsafe conditions, transport of vulnerable individuals, direct care during staffing crises, and exposure to violence. House Bill 2899 drew support from the Association of Social Work Boards for social work field placement grants, incentives for supervisors, and expanded retirement benefits for DCF social workers. The committee also heard Senate Bill 2613, a local retirement bill for Salem police officer Kathleen Roachville, who described a severe line-of-duty injury during an arrest involving a combative person in a mental health crisis. Finally, Susan Smith Campbell testified for reclassifying certain DYS administrative officers into Group 2 because of their direct involvement in restraints, assaults, and crisis management. After testimony concluded, the committee adjourned without taking any votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• more nursing home beds. more nursing home beds.
• We represent nursing homes throughout the state as well as assisted living facilities, a pediatric care
• facilities saw a cut over 30 facilities facilities saw a cut over 30 facilities saw<01:41:04.719
• Chairman, in facilities.
• How many of us aging New Hampshire will be needing Medicaid and a nursing home facility, and what does

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in investments in hospitals and nursing in investments in hospitals and nursing homes.<00:03:27.440
• <00:10:24.399> home equity investment has on nursing home equity investment has on nursing
• residents, their families and nursing residents, their families and nursing home<00:10:27.200>
• When facilities are purchased using leverage buyouts, the nursing home is immediately saddled with debt
• Staffing in nursing homes, especially among certified nursing assistants and licensed practical nurses

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up two bills concerning health entity ownership and heard invited testimony before acting on them. Dr. Yasha Singh of Brown University testified about private equity in healthcare, describing how PE firms use debt-financed acquisitions, short investment horizons, and roll-up strategies that can avoid disclosure requirements. He said the lack of transparency makes it difficult to track ownership and outcomes, and cited research linking PE ownership to higher costs in outpatient care, more ancillary service use, workforce turnover, and worse outcomes in hospitals and nursing homes. He also noted Minnesota-specific concerns, including PE involvement in opioid treatment programs, and said the policy challenge is balancing needed capital investment with protections for patients and workers. Sam Brooks of the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care testified in strong support of the legislation, focusing on nursing homes. He argued that private equity ownership is associated with worse resident outcomes, including higher mortality, more pressure ulcers, more hospitalizations, and more deficiencies, and said leverage buyouts divert money from staffing and care into debt service, management fees, and lease-back arrangements. Brooks said staffing levels and quality ratings decline under PE ownership and pointed to recent bankruptcies as examples of instability. He said the bills would add safeguards such as transparency, attorney general approval of acquisitions, and requirements that a large share of public funds go to direct resident care. The testimony framed the bills as responses to concerns about private equity ownership in healthcare and long-term care, especially the effects on quality, staffing, and financial stability. No vote or final committee action was described in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We at WAHCA are proud to represent our member skilled nursing and assisted living facilities.
• There are CNAs, which are largely in our skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities.
• staff in nursing homes.
• All state behavioral health funding programs have the goal to enable nursing facilities to safely admit
• Now, while this data is extremely helpful in understanding the impact on residents, nursing facilities

Summary: The committee began with an extended work session on the long-term care workforce. DSHS Assistant Secretary B. Rector described the new Home and Community Living Administration and outlined major workforce pressures: Washington had about 126,000 long-term care workers in 2022, with demand expected to outpace supply as the 85-plus population and dementia prevalence rise sharply. She emphasized that direct care workers are largely women, people of color, and immigrants, and that family caregivers are also a major part of the system. She highlighted recruitment and retention efforts funded through federal Money Follows the Person dollars, including high school training partnerships, a retention toolkit, transportation support, caregiver newsletters, tribal workforce navigators, and a remote caregiving pilot. Committee members asked about career pathways, technology use, and turnover drivers; Rector said wages, benefits, unstable hours, and workplace support are key issues and promised follow-up data. Aidan Swain of the Washington Health Care Association said skilled nursing and assisted living facilities face acute RN vacancies, wage pressures, and Medicaid reimbursement that does not cover costs, and urged modernization of training, better reimbursement, and continued support for facility-based care. Maddie Fouch of SEIU 775, representing about 55,000 caregivers, said low wages, weak benefits, lack of voice, and certification delays are driving turnover and shortages, and argued for higher compensation, better worker protections, and more transparent reimbursement. Catherine Smith of Behavioral Health Solutions described growing behavioral health needs in nursing homes, the role of expanded behavioral supports programs, and credentialing delays that slow hiring. No votes were taken; the panel was informational only. The second agenda item was an overview of the palliative care benefit work group report required by 2024 legislation. Nico Jansen of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner explained that the work group, convened with the Health Care Authority, studied a potential palliative care benefit for fully insured commercial plans and also Medicaid, PEBB, and SEBB. He said palliative care is a philosophy of care focused on symptom management, coordination, and support for serious illness, and is distinct from hospice because it can be provided alongside curative treatment. The actuarial analysis concluded that creating a new benefit would likely increase costs, estimating about a 28-cent per member per month increase overall and roughly $2.6 million to $4.5 million in annual state Medicaid costs if implemented in 2027. Jansen said the consultants did not find sufficient evidence to assume savings from avoided hospitalizations or long-term care, though several work group members disagreed and submitted response letters. Senators asked about other states, Medicare, health homes, and whether more research could clarify cost savings; OIC said some states, including Hawaii, are moving ahead with Medicaid palliative care benefits, Medicare covers some related services but not in the same way, and further evidence may emerge over time. OIC did not take a position on whether the Legislature should create the benefit. The final presentation covered health care price transparency tools in Washington and federally. Evan Klein and HCA Chief Data Officer Vishal Chaudry reviewed federal hospital and health plan transparency rules, the state all-payer claims database, prescription drug price transparency, the Health Care Cost Transparency Board, the Prescription Drug Affordability Board, and other reporting systems. They explained that the APCD contains claims from fully insured commercial plans, Medicaid, and public employee programs, but not self-insured employer data except for limited voluntary submissions. They also described how machine-readable files, consumer price tools, and aggregated dashboards are used, and noted that data limitations, delays, and complexity remain significant. Senators asked about voluntary self-insured participation, the role of AI in making data more usable, and whether transparency can really help consumers given access barriers and medical debt. HCA said AI is increasingly used by private entities to mine large transparency datasets, but state agencies still face limits in data access and analytic capacity. The committee did not take action; the session was informational and ended with a discussion of how transparency data might better inform policy and purchasing decisions in the future.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just like supervised cardiac nurses, anesthesia nurses, even though with a doctorate, I believe that
• As president of the A.A.... facilities and not just in the rural facilities.
• even force the facility to close.
• I've been a nurse for 16 years and a practicing certified registered nurse anesthetist for six years
• after earning a doctorate in nursing practice in nurse anesthesiology.

Summary: The Health Professions and Programs Subcommittee met with a quorum and heard two bills. HB 649 would remove the current written physician protocol requirement for certified registered nurse anesthetists, allowing CRNAs to practice autonomously. The sponsor and supporters argued the change would modernize Florida law, address anesthesia workforce shortages, keep graduates in the state, and improve access especially in rural areas; opponents, including the Florida Medical Association and a cardiologist, warned that physician oversight is important for patient safety and that anesthesia complications can arise quickly. After debate, the committee passed HB 649 favorably by a vote of 12 yeas and 6 nays. The committee then heard HB 723, which requires the Department of Health, working with school districts, to develop informational materials on early detection of type 1 diabetes and have schools notify parents within the first 30 school days about those materials. The sponsor said the goal is to help parents recognize warning signs earlier and avoid emergency diagnoses such as diabetic ketoacidosis, with minimal fiscal impact because the materials would be distributed digitally. Members generally supported the bill and discussed timing and distribution methods, suggesting the notice not get lost in back-to-school paperwork. HB 723 passed unanimously, 18 yeas and 0 nays, and was reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 2135 strengthens eviction protections for residents in nursing homes and long-term health care facilities
• CMS data from late 2025 shows that 16% of California skilled nursing facility residents request interpreter
• In one case, a high-needs nursing home resident was dumped at an unlicensed board-and-care facility;
• In one case, a high-needs nursing home resident was dumped at an unlicensed board-and-care facility without
• The association represents over 900 skilled nursing facilities in California and also intermediate care

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several health-related bills, with testimony largely split between patient access, provider flexibility, and industry concerns. AB 1825 by Krell would tighten California’s offenders with mental health disorders program by clarifying the standard for “substantial danger of physical harm,” improving exit planning, and expanding Medi-Cal access for released individuals; supporters said it would close gaps that can allow dangerous individuals to be released without adequate care, while county behavioral health and disability advocates registered concerns. AB 1696 by Stephanie would clarify that nurse midwives do not need physician supervision when providing care within their existing scope, including EMTALA-related labor evaluations; nurse midwives and nursing groups supported it, while emergency physicians opposed it as written, arguing emergency department screening should remain under physician supervision. The author said he would keep working with opponents, and the bill was held for a quorum vote. AB 1949 by Lee would make acupuncture its own Medi-Cal benefit and expand coverage to 24 visits per year. Supporters, including acupuncturists, integrative medicine providers, and patient advocates, said the current monthly cap is too restrictive and undermines effective pain management and opioid alternatives; there was no opposition testimony. AB 2330 by Burner would create a distinct regulatory category for cold spas and cold plunges; supporters said the bill would provide safety standards and regulatory clarity, while members raised concerns about language that could force separate enclosures or overly broad local interpretations. The author agreed to continue working on the issue. AB 2000 by Aguiar-Curry would limit mid-year changes to prescription drug formularies and strengthen notice, exceptions, and transparency requirements. Physicians, chronic care advocates, nurses, and patient groups supported the bill as a way to prevent non-medical switching and treatment disruptions, while health plans, insurers, and pharmacy benefit managers opposed it as a costly mandate that could raise premiums and reduce flexibility; the author said the amendments addressed many concerns and asked for an aye vote. AB 1929 by Ortega would require health plans to disclose investments, including in for-profit prisons and immigrant detention centers; supporters framed it as a transparency measure, while opponents argued the disclosures were duplicative and could create competitive and confidentiality problems. The committee also heard AB 2746 by Shiavo, which would classify medical credit card debt as medical debt so it would not appear on credit reports; consumer advocates and legal aid groups supported it as closing a loophole that harms patients’ credit and housing access, while banks, debt collectors, and some industry groups said it was unworkable without access to private medical information. Several members expressed support for the consumer protections, and the author closed by emphasizing that medical credit card debt should be treated the same as other medical debt.