SWHPN Policy Update on Health Care Reform Bills

SWHPN Vice Chair Gary Stein Clarifies Recent Advance Care Planning Legislation

In August 2009, SWHPN Members received a policy update from SWHPN Vice Chair Gary Stein clarifying the challenges presented by recent health care reform bills promoting advance care planning.

Legislation and reports included in this update are:

• Advance Planning and Compassionate Care Act of 2009, introduced on May 21, 2009, by West Virginia Senator John D. Rockefeller, IV. Click here to review the bill online. The SWHPN Executive Committee has sent a letter of endorsement to Senators Rockefeller and Susan Collins of Maine and other senators co-sponsoring this bill.
• The Senior Navigation and Planning Act, introduced by Sen. Mark Warner. Click here to review online.
• The House “Tri Committee” Bill. Click here to review online.
• Advance Directives and Advance Care Planning: Report to Congress. Click here to review online.

This policy update can serve as a guide for our members to better understand the recent political discussions on health care reform and how these proposed bills can affect social workers in hospice and palliative care.

Please review this policy update and the endorsement letter to the Advance Planning and Compassionate Care Act of 2009 on the new Legislative Review section of the Member Dashboard. Forgot your SWHPN password? Click here. You may also print or copy the endorsement letter and send it to the bill co-sponsors and/or your senator or representative.

We encourage members to get involved in the discussion on the SWHPN online community. Log on to LinkHealthPro. Forgot your LinkHealthPro password? Click here.

Tagged as: Advance Care Planning, Health Care Reform, palliative care, quality of care, Senate