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LEGISLATION AND ADVOCACY -
VIRGINIA
Chris Spanos
Although the Assembly is not currently in session, there are several major state
government initiatives that Virginia Clinical Social Workers should be
following: Governor Kaine’s creation of a Health Information Technology (IT)
Council; Attorney General McDonnell’s formation of a Government and Regulatory
Reform Task Force; and work of the newly-created Medicaid Revitalization
Committee.
Health IT Council to focus on statewide adoption of electronic health records
Governor Timothy M. Kaine has announced the creation, by Executive Order, of a
Health Information Technology (IT) Council charged with recommending the most
innovative and effective investments for the $1.5 million appropriated by the
General Assembly to encourage the adoption of electronic health records
throughout the Commonwealth.
The Health IT Council will be composed of hospital executives; physicians;
representatives from the pharmaceutical, insurance, and home health industries;
consumers; and members of the General Assembly. It will be co-chaired by the
Governor’s Cabinet Secretary of Health and Human Resources and the Secretary of
Technology.
Healthcare regulations a key study item for McDonnell’s Task Force
Attorney General Bob McDonnell’s Government and Regulatory Reform Task Force
includes leaders from across the political spectrum, government leaders,
representatives from business, and representatives from citizen groups. The Task
Force is charged with conducting a systematic review of state regulations, with
a goal of minimizing the adverse impact on commerce and society while preserving
the important public safety, health and welfare protections that many of the
regulations provide.
Three working groups made up of industry and issue experts will make
recommendations to the Task Force on reform of regulations: the Agriculture
Working Group, the Healthcare Working Group and the Small Business Working
Groups. The Task Force will begin its work by focusing on these three areas and
will focus on other issues during the course of its business.
Task Force seeks public involvement
In addition, the Task Force is seeking citizen input on this important matter.
Any citizen who has a problem with a specific regulation, or a recommendation
for the Task Force, is encouraged to email:
regreform@oag.state.va.us.
Medicaid Revitalization Committee
House Bill 758, passed by the 2006 General Assembly and signed by Governor Kaine on April 5, 2006, sets into motion the self-examination of Virginia’s primary healthcare delivery mechanism for the State’s most vulnerable citizens – the Medicaid program. The legislation created the Medicaid Revitalization Committee consisting of patient advocates, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders.
The Committee will examine alternative and innovative approaches to healthcare delivery under Medicaid. The focus will be on client-centered planning, individual budgeting, and self-directed quality assurance and improvement.
By December 1, 2006, recommendations developed by the Committee must be submitted by the Director of the Department of Medical Assistance Services to the House Committees on Appropriations and Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committees on Education and Health and Finance. Recommendations are to include estimates of the costs and cost savings for implementation of the waiver or amendments to the State Plan.
Chris Spanos, government and
public affairs counselor for the Spanos Consulting Group, is the lobbyist for
the coalition of GWSCSW and the Virginia Society for Clinical Social Work. He
can be reached at 804/282-0278 or by email at
ChrisSpanos@SpanosConsulting.com.
For GSCSW Legislative
Information contact:
GWSCSW
PO Box 3235
Oakton VA 22124
202-537-0007
Fax: 703-938-8389
email: gwscsw@gmail.com
Website http://www.gwscsw.org