HB 566 Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act
For taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2009, allows small businesses that provide health care insurance for their employees and their spouses and dependents to claim cost of providing that insurance, but a tax credit in an amount equal to the cost of providing that insurance, but not to exceed: $500 per employee who receives health care insurance; and $250 for each spouse and dependent of an employee who receives health care insurance. To House Committee on Rules 3/13/2009.
Primary Health Care - Now More Than Ever
Why a renewal of primary health care (PHC), and why now, more than ever? Globalization is putting the social cohesion of many countries under stress, and health systems are clearly not performing as well as they could and should. People are increasingly impatient with the inability of health services to deliver. Few would disagree that health systems need to respond better – and faster – to the challenges of a changing world. PHC can do that.
For more on this article and other international health issues please refer to the website for the World Health Organization at www.who.int.
Dr. Andrew Kroger of the CDC updates ISSAMT members on new immunization schedule
Dr. Andrew Kroger, of the Center of Disease Control, spoke to ISSAMT members at their educational seminar at DePaul University in Naperville, Ill. last September. His topics included safety and pandemic flu and immunizations. The members were awarded three CEUs for participating in his lecture.
Dr. Kroger graduated from Yale University in 1998 with a joint MD/MPH, concentrating in International Health. He trained in pediatrics for two years at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland before transferring to Emory University where he boarded in public health and preventive medicine. From 2001 to 2003 he worked at the CDC on notifiable disease surveillance before beginning his current work in the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. As one of the traveling trainers in the Education, Information, and Partnership Branch, Dr. Kroger has given over 100 presentations that include immunizations updates and pandemic influenza preparedness. He is also involved with some of the new distance learning activities of the branch, including the Current Issues in Immunization Series delivered through Net Conferencing. Dr. Kroger is the author of the newest edition of the CDC’s General Recommendations on Immunizations.
Please visit www.cdc.gov for update information on the latest information on the new immunization schedule and other topics.
Revised Illinois Nursing Law Preserves Physicians' Ability to Delegate to Medical Assistants
Since the Illinois legislature enacted a revised Nurse Practice Act last October, the AMT office has received an increasing number of inquiries as to whether the new law eliminated the authority of physicians in Illinois to delegate clinical tasks such as injections to medical assistants. A review of the new statute makes clear that it did no such thing. Physicians in that state are still free to delegate injections and other clinical duties to properly trained medical assistants.
The confusion apparently stemmed from language in the Nurse Practice Act which provides that “A registered professional nurse shall not delegate any nursing activity requiring the specialized knowledge, judgment, and skill of a licensed nurse to an unlicensed person, including medical administration.” While this language bars a nurse from delegating many clinical functions to unlicensed personnel, it does not affect a physician’s separate authority to delegate tasks to unlicensed assistants.
In fact, the new nursing law contains a savings provision stating: “Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the delegation of tasks or duties by a physician, dentist, or podiatrist to a licensed practical nurse, a registered professional nurse, or other persons.”
Section 54.5 of the Illinois Medical Practice Act specifically allows a licensed physician to delegate tasks “to a licensed practical nurse, a registered professional nurse, or other persons.” Similarly, section 1285.3 35(f) of the Illinois Administrative Code states that: “Nothing in this Section shall be construed to limit the delegation of tasks or duties by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches to a licensed practical nurse, a registered professional nurse, or other personnel including, but not limited to, certified nursing assistants or medical assistants.” Neither of these provisions was changed by the new nursing practice law.
Thus, any rumors to the effect that medical assistants can no longer be delegated injections in Illinois are demonstrably false.
This information was printed verbatim from AMT Events, Vol. 25 No. 2 June 2008.
Do You Know What the "Right of Conscience" Rule Is?
On December 18, 2008, this was passed by the Bush Administration. It protects the rights of healthcare workers from providing medical care that is against their personal beliefs. Federal funds will be cut for any state or local government, or medical institution, that violates this regulation. Click here to read more about this regulation.