PAIN MANAGEMENT - H.B. 4681 (S-1): FLOOR ANALYSIS

House Bill 4681 (Substitute S-1 as reported)

Sponsor: Representative Gerald Law

House Committee: Health Policy

Senate Committee: Health Policy and Senior Citizens

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Public Health Code to change the name of the Interdisciplinary Advisory Committee on Pain and Symptom Management to the Advisory Committee on Pain and Symptom Management, and revise the committee's membership and duties. Further, the bill would define "intractable pain" as a state of pain in which the cause could not be removed or otherwise treated; and which, in the generally accepted practice of allopathic or osteopathic medicine, no relief or cure of the cause of the pain was possible, or had been found after reasonable efforts including, but not limited to, evaluation by an attending physician and by one or more other physicians who specialized in the treatment of the area, system, or organ of the body that was perceived to be the source of the pain.

The bill would retain most of the current duties that must be performed by the advisory committee; however, it would eliminate a requirement that the advisory committee provide a forum open to all human health care professions and hospices every two years. The bill provides instead that the advisory committee, at least once a year, would have to consult with all health profession licensure boards (except veterinary medicine) and the Board of Examiners of Social Workers to develop an integrated approach to understanding and applying pain and symptom management techniques. The bill would delete a requirement that the advisory committee develop written materials explaining pain and symptom management and hospice care for distribution to health professionals, benefit plans, and the public, but would require the advisory committee to file annual reports to the Directors of the Department of Consumer and Industry Services and the Department of Community Health on pain management educational curricula and continuing education requirements of institutions providing health care education, and other information specified in the bill.

The bill would take effect April 1, 1999.

MCL 333.16204a - Legislative Analyst: G. Towne

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

Date Completed: 12-2-98 - Fiscal Analyst: M. Tyszkiewicz

- J. Walker

floor\hb4681 - Analysis available @ http://www.michiganlegislature.org

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.