Bills Would Allow NPs, PAs, and Other Professionals to Sign Home Health Plans of Care

Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) has jumped into the fight to pass overdue commonsense legislation (H.R 4993) which would allow for NPs, PAs and other professionals to sign home care Plans of Care. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ken Conrad (D-ND) had previously reintroduced a Senate Bill (S. 2814) that would also allow for this. That Senate Bill is currently at the Senate Finance Committee for review. No additional Senators have signed up to be cosponsor since it was introduced November 20, 2009.

The House version has had 37 cosponsors of the bill. Rep. Schwartz has been circulating a "dear colleague" letter describing the bill and asking for additional cosigners.

Here is a list of those who have signed on to these bills:

H.R. 4993
Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA, sponsor) Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-IA) Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA) Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA) Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) Rep. Kathleeen Dahlkemper (D-PA) Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA) Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA Rep. Paul Hodes (D-NH Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR) Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH)
Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) Rep. Robert Brady (D-PA) Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) Rep. Christopher Carney (D-PA) Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO) Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) Rep. Deborah Halvorson (D-IL) Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) Rep. John Olver (D-MA) Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-IL) Rep. Jose Serrano (D-NY) Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA)

S. 2814
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME, sponsor) Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND, original cosponsor)

You can help by notifying your representatives of you support and encourage them to support these important bills.

FDA Asks Your Input on Negative Pressure Wound Therapy

The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) has requested valuable input from users of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) systems in the home environment.

FDA has received reports of adverse events associated with NPWT systems, especially those used at home and at extended care facilities. Since wound care can take place in the home and can be self-initiated, managed, or used with the help of a trained caregiver (often a family member), FDA wants to hear about your experiences with these systems.

If you use NPWT in the home environment and are willing to participate in an important FDA survey related to this treatment, please click on the link below and you'll be directed to a brief survey questionnaire. FDA notes that your information will be used strictly for this purpose and responses to the questionnaire will remain confidential, and thanks all those who participate. To take the survey, please go to https://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/2ff9g430f1.