Video & Transcript : 'allopathic physician' :
Page 59 of 237
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
US House Floor Proceedings (Monday, June 29, 2026)
US Federal House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Today's physicians are bogged down in insurance paperwork and are severely underpaid because Medicare
- This bill is a step toward ensuring that physicians have the support they need to physicians have the
- in the AMA and has worked tirelessly to advance the roles of both patients and physicians.
- Following a vote by physicians and medical students at the AMA annual meeting, Dr.
- Fryhoffer served as president of the American College of Physicians.
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Administrative Rules Committee Mar 12th, 2026 at 09:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- It's comparable to what you hear about with physicians and nurses and other health practitioners.
- We're like physicians. It's stepping back from dentists, right?
- We're like physicians, or they're like physicians.
- Medicine and physicians and their licensees.
- The Physicians Health Program is a lifesaver for people like me.
Summary:
The committee first approved the December 3 minutes, then heard a request from the Board of Clinical Laboratory Practice to amend its proposed rule on exempt test methods to add certain closed-system DNA/RNA tests, including rhinovirus. After testimony explaining that the board had considered late comments from BioMérieux and wanted the rule record to reflect that review, the committee agreed to a limited amendment and passed the motion unanimously.
The Department of Agriculture then outlined broad rule updates affecting dairy, eggs, poultry, pesticides, animal health, environmental mitigation, and the Egg Product Utilization Commission. The commissioner said the changes mostly clarified existing requirements, updated references, and reduced some burdens, such as easing dairy hauler training/licensing timing and clarifying out-of-state grade A milk language. Members asked about dairy industry decline, the APUC scoring system, and the rationale for the milk-hauler and out-of-state milk provisions.
The State Board of Dental Examiners presented extensive rule changes tied to recent legislation and workforce issues, including a new professional health program for dentists, expanded duties for assistants and hygienists, broader local anesthetic authority for hygienists, and fee increases to fund the program and cover administrative costs. Testimony from Dr. Edward May strongly supported the professional health program based on his own recovery experience. The committee also heard from Game and Fish on rules easing some guide/outfitter experience requirements, allowing electronic exams, and modifying boating safety equipment rules, with no public comment and no fiscal impact.
Later, Health and Human Services received approval for an extension to update tattoo/body art rules and a separate motion to repeal an obsolete nurse aide training chapter. HHS also described nursing facility rule updates, lodging sanitation revisions, and related clarifications on licensing, safety, pest control, and fire requirements. The Department of Environmental Quality received an extension for septic-system installer rules, and also presented rules for above-ground storage tanks and water/wastewater operator certification, including new fees and third-party testing options. The Industrial Commission’s oil and gas division described multiple rule changes, some withdrawn after comments, including drilling unit flexibility, site stability, wildfire authority, and streamlined transport/reporting procedures. Finally, DPI began presenting several rule packages, including school construction loan limits, school bus standards, cooperative agreements, special education rules for public charter schools, and new math curriculum and intervention requirements.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Hearing Assembly Health Committee and Senate Health Committee Mar 10th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Two million patients will lose their physicians, 3,800,000 women will not get their mammograms, and more
- So the spending targets apply to health plans, to physician organizations, and to hospitals.
- I'm a hospital-based internal medicine physician at UC Davis Medical Center.
- I recognize the care I give as a hospital-based physician is more expensive.
- Last year alone, UC physicians provided care to patients from 99% of California ZIP codes.
Summary:
The joint informational hearing of the Senate and Assembly Health Committees focused on the “cost of uncertainty” in health coverage, access, and affordability amid federal policy changes. Opening remarks from committee leaders and members emphasized that California’s gains under the Affordable Care Act and Health for All policies—high coverage rates, consumer protections, and lower uninsured rates—are now threatened by federal rollbacks, including the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits and H.R. 1. Members repeatedly cited rising premiums, skipped care, medical debt, and the risk of coverage losses, especially for low-income Californians, workers, seniors, and immigrant communities.
The first panel featured federal policy and state implementation experts, including Don Joyce, Jessica Altman of Covered California, and Elizabeth Lansberg of HCAI’s Office of Health Care Affordability. Testimony described the ACA’s coverage expansions and the current federal threats: shorter open enrollment, more verification requirements, loss of enhanced subsidies, and changes affecting immigrants and preventive coverage. Covered California reported that average monthly premiums could nearly double without the subsidies, new enrollment is down sharply, and more consumers are shifting into bronze plans with higher deductibles. HCAI explained its affordability strategy through spending targets, consolidation review, and primary care investment, while members asked about the impact of federal cuts on provider taxes, uncompensated care, and whether California can sustain coverage without new revenue.
The second panel, with UC Berkeley Labor Center’s Miranda Dietz and California Health Care Foundation’s Christoph Stremikis, broadened the discussion to statewide cost drivers and consumer impacts. They highlighted that more than half of Californians under 65 rely on job-based coverage, yet premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs have risen faster than wages. They also pointed to medical debt, administrative waste, market consolidation, and underinvestment in primary care as major drivers of unaffordability. Members asked about the 25% of health spending that does not improve patient care, the role of fraud versus administrative friction, the effect of cost growth targets on workers, and the need for preventive care and possible revenue solutions. The hearing then moved to a third panel on human impacts, beginning with testimony from a Central Valley promotora describing how families are choosing lower-tier coverage, struggling with diabetes care, and facing higher premiums after subsidy losses.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Hearing Senate Health Committee and Assembly Health Committee Mar 10th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Two million patients will lose their physicians, 3,800,000 women will not get their mammograms, and more
- So the spending targets apply to health plans, to physician organizations, and to hospitals.
- I'm a hospital-based internal medicine physician at UC Davis Medical Center.
- I recognize the care I give as a hospital-based physician is more expensive.
- Last year alone, UC physicians provided care to patients from 99% of California zip codes.
Summary:
The joint informational hearing of the Senate and Assembly Health Committees focused on the cost of federal instability for California health coverage, access, and affordability. Opening remarks from members of both houses emphasized that California’s coverage gains under the Affordable Care Act are now threatened by federal policy changes, including the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits, H.R. 1, and new federal regulatory actions. Members repeatedly cited rising premiums, skipped care, medical debt, and the risk that low-income, immigrant, and working Californians could lose coverage or be pushed into less comprehensive plans.
The first panel reviewed the federal landscape and state response. Don Joyce described the ACA’s coverage expansions and warned that H.R. 1, regulatory changes, and broader federal retrenchment could reduce coverage and weaken meaningful benefits. Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman said the loss of enhanced premium tax credits is driving major affordability problems, with average monthly premiums projected to rise sharply and enrollment already down, especially among middle-income consumers. HCAI’s Elizabeth Lansberg explained the Office of Health Care Affordability’s role in slowing spending growth, monitoring consolidation, and setting spending targets, including lower targets for high-cost hospitals and new primary care investment goals. Members asked about bronze plans, high-cost hospitals, administrative burdens, provider taxes, and whether federal advisory changes could affect required benefits such as immunizations.
The second panel examined population impacts and cost drivers. UC Berkeley Labor Center’s Miranda Dietz said most Californians get coverage through employers, Medi-Cal, or Covered California, and that affordability problems are widespread across all groups. She projected that California could have up to 2 million more uninsured residents by 2030, largely from Medi-Cal losses, and said higher premiums reduce wages and increase medical debt. Christoph Stremakis of the California Health Care Foundation highlighted survey data showing widespread concern about medical bills, skipped care, and medical debt, and argued that a large share of spending is wasted through administrative complexity, inflated prices, and underinvestment in prevention. Committee members pressed the panel on whether California can sustain coverage without new revenue, how cost-growth targets affect workers and families, how medical debt relief programs like Los Angeles County’s could be expanded, and how OCA can address uncompensated care, consolidation, and prior authorization burdens.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection - 03/05/26
Commerce and Consumer Protection
Transcript Highlights:
- physician board-certified family physician practicing<00:39:02.160><c> in</c><00:39:02.400><c> Minneapolis
- I think that women go in for tests um as recommended by their physician.
- Um they are taking by their physician.
- </c> could possibly kill you if the physician could possibly kill you if the physician is<01:06:10.559
- ,</c> Ma'am. your uh role as the physician, Ma'am. your uh role as the physician, your<01:13:00.400><
Committee:
Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection
WV
West Virginia 2026 Regular Session
WV Senate Judiciary Committee in Session Mar 11th, 2026 at 09:05 pm
Judiciary
Transcript Highlights:
- I am a pediatric intensive care physician. Mr. Chairman. Jim McJunkin.
- I am a pediatric intensive care physician, retired.
- He has sent a letter to your committee, and the letter was from him and physician leaders from Morgantown
- They're the three children's hospital physician leaders.
- They're the three children's hospital physician leaders.
Committee:
Senate Judiciary
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Economic and Rural Development Dec 8th, 2025 at 01:04 pm
Economic & Rural Development & Policy Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- primary drivers of this crisis is the state's medical malpractice environment, which is pushing physicians
- For rural communities like ours, even the loss of a single physician or specialist has enormous impact
- Recently, our community, Madam Chair, Members of the committee, we saw two wonderful family physicians
- Gallup's loss of these physicians created a patient care gap that is almost insurmountable.
- New Mexico has one of the lowest physician per capita ratios in the country, and the New Mexico Hospital
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice Apr 10th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- . >> I AM HERE REPRESENTING THE DOCTORS COMPANY WHICH IS THE LARGEST INSURER OF PHYSICIANS IN THE STATE
- FLORIDA CURRENTLY HAS AN UNENVIABLE POSITION OF HAVING THE HIGHEST RATES IN THE COUNTRY FOR PHYSICIANS
- THAT IS JUST FOR PHYSICIANS SO THIS IS LIMITED TO JUST I WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE THIS MAY ANSWER SOME
- IF A DEFENDANT PHYSICIAN COULD PROVE THAT, I SAY A DEFENDANT COULD HAVE PROVEN BEYOND A PREPONDERANCE
- ADDITIONALLY HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, PHYSICIANS WHO IN MEDICAL CARE, LAWFUL MEDICAL CARE PROVIDED AND THEY
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
JHA Info Briefing - Tue Feb 17, 2026 @ 2:00 PM HST
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Bills:
HB1974 , HB1853 , HB1973 , HB1574 , HB2619 , HB1966 , HB1643 , HB1671 , HB2558 , HB1854 , HB2173 , HB1575 , HB2229 , HB1535 , HB1978 , HB2508 , HB1549 , HB2187 , HB1550 , HB1977 , HB2314 , HB1871 , HB2319 , HB1591 , HB1858 , HB1898 , HB2372 , HB1765 , HB2012 , HB1706 , HB1962 , HB1963 , HB1975 , HB2009 , HB2083 , HB2224 , HB1877 , HB1959 , HB1626 , HB1665 , HB2488 , HB2456 , HB2548 , HB2207 , HB1832 , HB2079 , HB1985 , HB1618 , HB2486 , HB2242 , HB2045 , HB1703 , HB2236 , HB2480 , HB1976 , HB2287 , HB2288 , HB1777 , HB276 , HB1660 , HB1676 , HB1605 , HB1751 , HB1967 , HB2383 , HB2340 , HB1946 , HB2268 , HB1950 , HB2156 , HB2118 , HB1859 , HB1863 , HB1996 , HB2114 , HB2423 , HB2429 , HB2475 , HB2534 , HB2545 , HB1813 , HB1941 , HB2474 , HB2583 , HB1576 , HB1886 , HB1939 , HB2540 , HB2590 , HB2000 , HB2163 , HB2386 , HB1691 , HB1680 , HB2516 , HB1993 , HB2442 , HB1510 , HB1958 , HB1692
Keywords:
HB1974, hearing loss, audiology, audiologist, hearing screening, hearing aids, cochlear implants, tele-audiology, communication access, assistive technology, speech-language pathology, deafness, hard of hearing, public health, kupuna, keiki, dementia, cognitive decline, fall prevention, State Health Planning and Development Agency
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
House Chamber - Tue Feb 17, 2026, 12:00PM HST - Day 16
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Bills:
HB1974 , HB1853 , HB1973 , HB1574 , HB2619 , HB1966 , HB1643 , HB1671 , HB2558 , HB1854 , HB2173 , HB1575 , HB2229 , HB1535 , HB1978 , HB2508 , HB1549 , HB2187 , HB1550 , HB1977 , HB2314 , HB1871 , HB2319 , HB1591 , HB1858 , HB1898 , HB2372 , HB1765 , HB2012 , HB1706 , HB1962 , HB1963 , HB1975 , HB2009 , HB2083 , HB2224 , HB1877 , HB1959 , HB1626 , HB1665 , HB2488 , HB2456 , HB2548 , HB2207 , HB1832 , HB2079 , HB1985 , HB1618 , HB2486 , HB2242 , HB2045 , HB1703 , HB2236 , HB2480 , HB1976 , HB2287 , HB2288 , HB1777 , HB276 , HB1660 , HB1676 , HB1605 , HB1751 , HB1967 , HB2383 , HB2340 , HB1946 , HB2268 , HB1950 , HB2156 , HB2118 , HB1859 , HB1863 , HB1996 , HB2114 , HB2423 , HB2429 , HB2475 , HB2534 , HB2545 , HB1813 , HB1941 , HB2474 , HB2583 , HB1576 , HB1886 , HB1939 , HB2540 , HB2590 , HB2000 , HB2163 , HB2386 , HB1691 , HB1680 , HB2516 , HB1993 , HB2442 , HB1510 , HB1958 , HB1692
Keywords:
HB1974, hearing loss, audiology, audiologist, hearing screening, hearing aids, cochlear implants, tele-audiology, communication access, assistive technology, speech-language pathology, deafness, hard of hearing, public health, kupuna, keiki, dementia, cognitive decline, fall prevention, State Health Planning and Development Agency
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- This is especially important as we face a serious rural physician shortage.
- It changes how young physicians see rural medicine as a calling and a career.
- But wait, we are not just a physician training hub, but we train an entire workforce.
- </c> serious rural physician shortage. serious rural physician shortage.
- </c> But wait, we are not just a physician But wait, we are not just a physician training<01:05:28.680
Bills:
HF4343
Committee:
House Taxes
Keywords:
sales tax, use tax, advertising tax, taxable services, digital advertising, online marketing, marketing services, search engine marketing, lead generation, internet advertising, ad agency, media buying, campaign planning, Minnesota tax law, service tax, broadening tax base, web advertising, promotional services, 1183, house
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Interim Joint Committee on Health Services (8-27-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- already paying other non- physician providers. providers. providers.
- Do you share those notes with their primary physicians?
- Do you share those notes with their primary physicians?
- </c><01:11:42.400><c> It's</c> physicians and other providers. It's physicians and other providers.
- </c> Iboine is currently used by physicians Iboine is currently used by physicians in<01:33:07.520><c
Keywords:
1. Call to Order and Roll Call – 00:00:00
2. Approval of Minutes – 00:01:32
3. Getting to Know the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky – 00:02:26
4. Healthy Kids Clinic – 00:26:58
5. Pharmacy Payment Parity – 00:56:36
6. Ibogaine – 01:17:37
7. Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations – 01:53:05
8. Adjournment – 01:53:19, 958, all
Summary:
The committee first approved the prior meeting minutes and recognized Eric Clark for his service, noting this may be his last meeting before he leaves state government. The main presentation was from Allison Adams, president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, who described the organization’s history, nonpartisan mission, and focus on health equity, prevention, and upstream policy solutions. She said Kentucky’s poor rankings in chronic disease, preventable hospitalizations, and life expectancy show the need to shift resources toward prevention and community-driven strategies rather than relying mainly on treatment after people become sick.
Adams emphasized leading health indicators, arguing that lawmakers should track actionable measures such as quit attempts and smoke-free policies instead of only lagging indicators like disease rates and mortality. In response to questions, she said accountability should be shared across communities and systems, with possible incentives and disincentives tied to outcomes, and she supported creating a public data utility or dashboard, ideally with university partners, to help legislators and communities monitor progress. She also cited examples of accountable health community models and said Kentucky could adapt similar approaches.
The committee then heard from Meade County Schools Superintendent Mark Martin and district health coordinator Karen Kotche about the Healthy Kids Clinic partnership with Cumberland Health. They described a seven-year effort that led to full implementation in the district, which now has a nurse in every school and a nurse practitioner, allowing services such as sports physicals and other clinic functions to be provided on campus. They said the program has been a strong investment for students and the community and began explaining how the district built the partnership after earlier efforts and delays, including the pandemic.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
HF2312, the higher education finance bill, passes out of committee 4/21/25
Transcript Highlights:
- We need physicians. We need to train more physicians. We especially need family physicians.
- We need physicians. We need thing to do. We need physicians.
- We especially to train more physicians.
- We especially need<01:36:44.239><c> family</c><01:36:44.840><c> physicians.
- We especially need family physicians.
Summary:
The committee took up House File 2312 and first adopted the DE1 amendment, after which the amended bill was discussed. Nonpartisan fiscal staff walked through the spreadsheet and explained the bill’s higher education budget changes, including increases for state grants and tribal college assistance, unchanged funding for several existing programs, and reductions or eliminations for items such as state work study, summer academic enrichment, student loan counseling, concurrent enrollment, and the student parent support initiative. Staff also noted transfers to special revenue funds, the cancellation and reappropriation of ALS research funding, and a new licensing/registration revenue item. The committee was told the bill met the committee’s zero target overall, with a net general fund change of zero relative to the February forecast, while also adding some non-general fund expenditures for program licensing and registration.
Members asked several questions about the transfers and specific line items, including whether any new special revenue accounts were being created, the foster care wraparound services line, and the treatment of the University of Minnesota and Centric Care partnership. Staff explained that the transfers generally did not create new accounts, that some items were not in the base, and that the U of M/Centric Care partnership was a one-time appropriation in the prior bill but was now being built into the base at a different amount. The University of Minnesota section also included new or continued funding for medical school development, health training restoration, emergency assistance grants, ALS research, and a weather resiliency program, while the Mayo Foundation section eliminated funding for Mayo Medical School and the Mayo family medicine residency program.
The policy portion of the DE1 was then introduced. It included a maximum tuition and fee amount for state grants, direct appropriation of emergency assistance grants to Minnesota State, a juvenile justice appropriation for Metropolitan State University, and the ALS research reappropriation to the University of Minnesota. It also contained repealers for unfunded programs, including a delayed repealer for the student parent support initiative. In the higher education policy article, the bill would allow Minnesota State to offer applied doctoral degrees in cybersecurity, make technical changes to hunger-free campus and sexual misconduct procedures, extend pregnant and parenting student protections to private institutions, allow OHE to retain up to 10% of certain competitive grants for administration, consolidate reports, change the state grant formula so negative FAFSA contributions count as zero, and reduce the state grant lifetime credit cap from 180 to 120 credits. The Northstar Promise provisions would limit tuition and fees to resident rates and require MnState, and request the University of Minnesota, to ensure eligible students receive the benefit.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> My role as a student now and physician My role as a student now and physician in<00:25:09.039><c
- They refer to physicians prenatal care.
- </c> nurse or or physician associate office. nurse or or physician associate office.
- </c> highly trained physicians. highly trained physicians.
- Um, I'm a physician in training.
Committee:
House Judiciary
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- Basically, this bill would limit what physicians can prescribe, specifically with OTC non-le drugs.
- licenses physicians and gives them<00:20:02.320><c> you</c><00:20:02.480><c> know</c><00:20:02.640><
- can prescribe and the uh what physicians can prescribe and uh<00:20:14.960><c> you</c><00:20:15.120>
- </c><00:22:40.960><c> dispensing</c> would be to limit physician dispensing would be to limit physician
- </c><01:17:33.920><c> from</c> the phrase or a licensed physician from the phrase or a licensed physician
Committee:
House Labor
Keywords:
military families, family leave, qualifying military exigency, Hawaii Revised Statutes, financial support, Hawaii National Guard, civil-military program, education, collective bargaining, exemption, SB3251, Hawaii public safety, ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Border Patrol, law enforcement hiring, state employment ban, police powers, Department of Law Enforcement, DLNR
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Health Committee Feb 18th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- I think this is probably the first time I've had so many fellow physicians in front of me.
- I'm an emergency physician, also an addiction medicine physician, and I really appreciate the opportunity
- Amy Mullen, an addiction medicine physician, really appreciate the opportunity to share with you what
- And so, as an addiction physician, I...
- So, as an addiction physician, I, if I was talking to one of my patients who was using 7-OH, I would
Summary:
The committee held an informational hearing on kratom and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), focusing on public health risks, overdose deaths, and regulatory gaps in California. The chair opened by noting that FDA and CDPH consider kratom and 7-OH products unlawful, yet they remain widely sold in smoke shops, vape stores, gas stations, and convenience stores. Members referenced AB 1088, which would be considered later, and said the hearing was intended to clarify the science, medical perspective, and whether stronger safeguards are needed.
The first panel featured a toxicology expert, state and local public health officials, an emergency/addiction physician, a medical examiner, and county health representatives. Witnesses from CDPH and Los Angeles County described rising deaths and enforcement actions, including statewide advisories, retailer letters, and product removals from manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. Medical testimony emphasized that 7-OH acts much more like an opioid than traditional kratom leaf, can cause dependence, withdrawal, and respiratory depression, and may require naloxone, buprenorphine, or methadone in overdose or withdrawal cases. Local officials said enforcement is difficult because packaging is inconsistent, testing capacity is limited, and counties lack resources and statewide infrastructure; they generally favored a centralized state framework if regulation is pursued.
Committee members asked about testing, age restrictions, scheduling, and whether a distinction between kratom and 7-OH could be enforced. Witnesses said forensic labs can potentially test for 7-OH but validated assays are not routine, emergency departments cannot readily distinguish exposures, and local health departments do not have the lab capacity to verify product labels. Several officials warned that a ban or abrupt scheduling could push products into the black market and discourage research, while others argued that current prohibition and enforcement are the most protective approach because legalization or age-limited regulation could create confusion about legality and safety.
The second panel included kratom and 7-OH advocates and industry representatives, who argued that natural kratom leaf and concentrated or synthetic 7-OH are different products and should be regulated differently. They supported age-gating, labeling, testing, and packaging rules for kratom leaf while opposing a ban on the botanical. They said 7-OH is used by many adults for pain relief or harm reduction, and that prohibition would drive consumers to illicit markets and worsen harm. Committee members pressed them on whether 7-OH is more potent than kratom, the availability of testing, and whether any safe dose is known. The hearing ended without a vote or formal action, with the chair noting the issue will continue to be considered in future legislation.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- I think this is probably the first time I've had so many fellow physicians in front of me.
- I'm an emergency physician, also an addiction medicine physician, and I really appreciate the opportunity
- And so as an addiction physician, I...
- So as an addiction physician, I, and if I was talking to one of my patients who was using 7-OH, I would
- As an addiction medicine physician, there is a difference between having someone buy something over the
Committee:
Senate Health
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Senate Health and Human Services (05/07/2025)
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- amendment, or throughout the current RSA, it says the child has written approval by the child's physician
- And we know that nurse practitioners and physician assistants will write this.
- can do all do it, but we if physicians can do all of<00:18:52.880><c> these</c><00:18:53.120><c> people
- I will just say that the end of that says a physician who violates this right may be disciplined pursuant
- physician, probably a mental health professional, but that person has a diagnosis from a mental health
Committee:
Senate Health and Human Services
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Status of Persons with Disabilities Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- Often of physicians, medical ethicists, often academics, policymakers, right?
- We worked with physicians in getting organized to apply pressure.
- And she actually has audio recordings that she made of conversations with one of the physicians.
- And her mother's physician called her and said, don't you think your mother needs to have a DNR?
- And when she wouldn't do it either, allegedly, this physician went into this woman's room, got her to
Summary:
The Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities’ Long-Term Services and Supports and Health Equity Subcommittee met to hear a presentation from Colin Killick of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network on disability discrimination in crisis standards of care during COVID-19. He described how Massachusetts and other states initially used standards that prioritized longer life expectancy and, in some cases, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), which he argued devalued the lives of disabled people and older adults. He also discussed related issues such as denial of transplants, pressure on disabled patients to sign do-not-resuscitate orders, and inequities affecting communities of color. He said disability advocates, legal groups, and public officials pushed back through litigation, media, and organizing, leading to revisions of Massachusetts’ standards and the eventual inclusion of disability advocates in the drafting process.
Killick also discussed vaccine rollout, saying disabled people were initially under-prioritized but later gained broader access and more accessible vaccination options such as ASL interpretation and in-home vaccination. He closed by urging support for S. 869, an act relative to preventing discrimination against persons with disabilities in the provision of health care, which he said would ban disability-based discrimination in crisis standards, prohibit QALYs in health care decision-making, and add protections against coerced DNRs. He noted the bill had been favorably reported out of the Health Care Financing Committee but still needed support.
In questions, members asked why the bill had not advanced further; Killick said earlier opposition from QALY supporters had been resolved, and the main barrier now was lack of legislative prioritization. Members thanked him for the presentation and for the work on revising crisis standards. The subcommittee then completed roll call, approved the prior minutes, and adjourned, noting the next meeting would be August 31.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Lowering the High Cost of Healthcare | Senator Matt Klein May 1st, 2026
Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- care in America is in crisis almost at every stage of the delivery system, hospitals, clinics, physicians
- delivery system, hospitals, stage of the delivery system, hospitals, clinics,<00:03:32.400><c> physicians
- </c><00:03:34.080><c> But</c><00:03:34.319><c> the</c> clinics, physicians, insurance.
- But the clinics, physicians, insurance.
- helping</c> And the second part about it is direct-to-consumer advertising sort of bypasses the physician