Senate File 277 - Introduced SENATE FILE 277 BY SEGEBART A BILL FOR An Act relating to palliative care and quality-of-life services 1 and education, and including effective date provisions. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1625XS (7) 87 pf/nh

S.F. 277 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 231G.1 Definitions. 1 As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise 2 requires: 3 1. “Appropriate” means consistent with applicable legal, 4 health, and professional standards, the patient’s clinical and 5 other circumstances, and the patient’s reasonably known wishes 6 and beliefs. 7 2. “Department” means the department on aging. 8 3. “Medical care” means services provided, requested, 9 or supervised by a physician or advanced registered nurse 10 practitioner. 11 4. “Palliative care” means patient-centered and 12 family ‐ centered medical care that optimizes quality of life by 13 anticipating, preventing, and treating the suffering caused by 14 serious illness. “Palliative care” includes but is not limited 15 to discussion of the patient’s goals for treatment; discussion 16 of treatment options appropriate to the patient, including, 17 where appropriate, hospice care; and comprehensive pain and 18 symptom management. “Palliative care” involves, throughout the 19 continuum of illness, the addressing of physical, emotional, 20 social, and spiritual needs while facilitating patient 21 autonomy, access to information, and choice. 22 5. “Serious illness” means any medical illness or physical 23 injury or condition that substantially impacts a patient’s 24 quality of life for more than a short period of time. “Serious 25 illness” includes but is not limited to cancer, heart, renal, 26 or liver failure, lung disease, and Alzheimer’s disease and 27 related dementias. 28 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 231G.2 Palliative care and quality of 29 life interdisciplinary advisory council established —— membership 30 —— duties. 31 1. By October 1, 2017, the department shall establish 32 within the department a palliative care and quality of life 33 interdisciplinary advisory council to consult with and advise 34 the department on matters related to the establishment, 35 -1- LSB 1625XS (7) 87 pf/nh 1/ 5

S.F. 277 maintenance, operation, and evaluation of outcomes of 1 palliative care initiatives in the state. The department shall 2 partner with a nationally affiliated nonprofit organization 3 that strives to eliminate cancer in administering the council. 4 2. a. The director of the department shall appoint 5 the members of the advisory council which shall include 6 representatives with interdisciplinary palliative care medical, 7 nursing, social work, pharmacy, or spiritual professional 8 expertise; patient and family caregiver advocates; and any 9 other members the director determines appropriate. 10 b. The membership shall specifically include health 11 professionals having palliative care work experience or 12 expertise in palliative care delivery models in a variety 13 of inpatient, outpatient, and community settings and with a 14 variety of populations including pediatric, youth, and adult 15 populations. At least two advisory council members shall be 16 Medicare-certified hospice and palliative medicine physicians 17 or nurses. One member shall be a representative of a health 18 insurance carrier. 19 3. Advisory council members shall serve for a period of 20 three years and shall serve at the pleasure of the director of 21 the department. 22 4. The members shall elect a chairperson and vice 23 chairperson annually. A majority of the members of the 24 advisory council shall constitute a quorum. 25 5. The advisory council shall meet at least twice annually. 26 6. Advisory council members shall not receive compensation 27 for their services, but are eligible for reimbursement of 28 actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of 29 their official duties. 30 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION . 231G.3 Palliative care consumer and 31 professional information and education program. 32 1. By October 1, 2017, the department shall establish 33 within the department a palliative care consumer and 34 professional information and education program to maximize 35 -2- LSB 1625XS (7) 87 pf/nh 2/ 5

S.F. 277 the effectiveness of palliative care initiatives in the state 1 by ensuring that comprehensive and accurate information and 2 education about palliative care is available to the public, 3 health care providers, and health care facilities. The 4 department shall consult with the palliative care and quality 5 of life interdisciplinary advisory council in developing and 6 administering the program. 7 2. The department shall publish on its internet site 8 information about and resources for palliative care for the 9 public, health care providers, and health care facilities, 10 including links to external resources. Such information 11 shall include but is not limited to continuing education 12 opportunities for health care providers; information about 13 palliative care delivery in the home, and in primary, 14 secondary, and tertiary environments; best practices for 15 palliative care delivery; and consumer educational materials 16 and referral information for palliative care, including 17 hospice. 18 3. The department may develop and implement any other 19 initiatives regarding palliative care services and education 20 the department determines would further the purposes of the 21 program. 22 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT. This Act, being deemed of 23 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment. 24 EXPLANATION 25 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 26 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 27 This bill relates to palliative care and quality of life 28 services and education, and establishes a palliative care 29 and quality of life interdisciplinary advisory council and 30 a palliative care consumer and professional information and 31 education program within the department on aging (IDA). 32 The bill provides definitions including “medical care”, 33 “palliative care”, and “serious illness” for the purposes of 34 the bill. 35 -3- LSB 1625XS (7) 87 pf/nh 3/ 5

S.F. 277 The bill directs IDA to establish a palliative care and 1 quality of life interdisciplinary advisory council by October 2 1, 2017, to consult with and advise the department on matters 3 related to the establishment, maintenance, operation, and 4 evaluation of outcomes of palliative care initiatives in 5 the state. The department is to partner with a nationally 6 affiliated nonprofit organization that strives to eliminate 7 cancer in administering the council. The bill directs the 8 director of IDA to appoint the members of the council which 9 shall include representatives with interdisciplinary palliative 10 care medical, nursing, social work, pharmacy, or spiritual 11 professional expertise; patient and family caregiver advocates; 12 and any other members the director determines appropriate. The 13 membership shall specifically include health professionals 14 having palliative care work experience or expertise in 15 palliative care delivery models in a variety of inpatient, 16 outpatient, and community settings and with a variety of 17 populations including pediatric, youth, and adult populations, 18 at least two Medicare-certified hospice and palliative medicine 19 physicians or nurses, and one member who represents health 20 insurance carriers. 21 The bill also directs IDA to establish a palliative 22 care consumer and professional information and education 23 program in the department by October 1, 2017, to maximize the 24 effectiveness of palliative care initiatives in the state 25 to ensure that comprehensive and accurate information and 26 education about palliative care is available to the public, 27 health care providers, and health care facilities. IDA is 28 directed to consult with the palliative care and quality 29 of life interdisciplinary advisory council in developing 30 and administering the program. IDA shall publish on its 31 internet site information about and resources for palliative 32 care for the public, health care providers, and health care 33 facilities, including links to external resources. The bill 34 authorizes IDA to develop and implement any other initiatives 35 -4- LSB 1625XS (7) 87 pf/nh 4/ 5

S.F. 277 regarding palliative care services and education the department 1 determines would further the purposes of the program. 2 The bill takes effect upon enactment. 3 -5- LSB 1625XS (7) 87 pf/nh 5/ 5