2022 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Act 9 - FISCAL CODE - EARLY DETECTION AND DIAGNOSIS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE OR A RELATED DISORDER

Session of 2022

No. 2022-9

 

HB 1082

 

AN ACT

 

Amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), entitled "An act relating to the finances of the State government; providing for cancer control, prevention and research, for ambulatory surgical center data collection, for the Joint Underwriting Association, for entertainment business financial management firms, for private dam financial assurance and for reinstatement of item vetoes; providing for the settlement, assessment, collection, and lien of taxes, bonus, and all other accounts due the Commonwealth, the collection and recovery of fees and other money or property due or belonging to the Commonwealth, or any agency thereof, including escheated property and the proceeds of its sale, the custody and disbursement or other disposition of funds and securities belonging to or in the possession of the Commonwealth, and the settlement of claims against the Commonwealth, the resettlement of accounts and appeals to the courts, refunds of moneys erroneously paid to the Commonwealth, auditing the accounts of the Commonwealth and all agencies thereof, of all public officers collecting moneys payable to the Commonwealth, or any agency thereof, and all receipts of appropriations from the Commonwealth, authorizing the Commonwealth to issue tax anticipation notes to defray current expenses, implementing the provisions of section 7(a) of Article VIII of the Constitution of Pennsylvania authorizing and restricting the incurring of certain debt and imposing penalties; affecting every department, board, commission, and officer of the State government, every political subdivision of the State, and certain officers of such subdivisions, every person, association, and corporation required to pay, assess, or collect taxes, or to make returns or reports under the laws imposing taxes for State purposes, or to pay license fees or other moneys to the Commonwealth, or any agency thereof, every State depository and every debtor or creditor of the Commonwealth," in ARPA health care workforce supports, further providing for definitions; and providing for early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder.

 

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

 

Section 1.  The definition of "high medical assistance hospital" in section 101-J of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, added January 26, 2022 (P.L.5, No.2), is amended to read:

Section 101-J.  Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this article shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

* * *

"High Medical Assistance hospital."  As determined under the Medical Assistance dependency [payment] adjustment provisions of the Commonwealth's approved Title XIX State Plan, based on a hospital's approved Medical Assistance cost report for fiscal year 2018-2019.

* * *

Section 2.  The act is amended by adding an article to read:

ARTICLE II-E

EARLY DETECTION AND DIAGNOSIS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE OR A RELATED DISORDER

Section 201-E.  Scope of article.

This article relates to the early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder.

Section 202-E.  Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this article shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder."  An irreversible and progressive neurological disorder diagnosed by a physician that has all of the following characteristics:

(1)  The disorder causes cognitive decline and memory impairment, behavioral and psychiatric problems and loss of the ability to care for oneself.

(2)  The disorder is severe enough to interfere with work or social activities and requires continuous care or supervision.

"Certified registered nurse practitioner."  A registered nurse licensed in this Commonwealth who is certified by the State Board of Nursing in a particular clinical specialty area.

"Clinical nurse specialist."  A registered nurse licensed in this Commonwealth who is certified by the State Board of Nursing as a clinical nurse specialist.

"Department."  The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.

"Physician."  A medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy.

"Physician assistant."  An individual who is licensed as a physician assistant by the State Board of Medicine.

"Primary care workforce."  Physicians, physician assistants, certified registered nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists delivering health care services to adult patients with the detection, diagnosis, treatment and care planning referral for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder.

"Primary care workforce education resources."  The resources established in section 203-E.

"Toolkit."  The Early Detection and Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease or a Related Disorder toolkit established in section 204-E(a).

Section 203-E.  Primary care workforce education resources.

The department, in consultation with the Department of Aging and other public or private organizations with expertise in cognitive decline, Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder, shall establish education resources to assist the primary care workforce with the detection, diagnosis, treatment and care planning referral for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder. At a minimum, the primary care workforce education resources shall include all of the following related to Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder:

(1)  The importance of and value of early detection and timely diagnosis.

(2)  Increasing understanding and awareness of early signs and symptoms.

(3)  Person-centered care delivery.

(4)  Cultural competency.

(5)  Racial and ethnic disparities and inequities in detecting, diagnosing and accessing treatment and services.

(6)  Use of validated cognitive assessment tools to detect cognitive decline as part of the annual Medicare Wellness Visit or other annual physical examination.

(7)  Sources of clinical practice guidelines and tools.

(8)  Effective care planning, including treatment options, support and services, long-term care options, financial planning, advanced directives and care coordination, at all stages of dementia, including appropriate counseling and referral.

Section 204-E.  Early Detection and Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease or a Related Disorder toolkit.

(a)  Establishment.--The department shall establish and maintain an Early Detection and Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease or a Related Disorder toolkit. The toolkit, at a minimum, shall provide all of the following:

(1)  Best practices and cognitive assessment tools, including the use of appropriate diagnostics, to assist the primary care workforce in the detection, diagnosis, treatment and care planning for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder.

(2)  Primary care workforce education resources established in section 203-E.

(b)  Coordination and integration.--The department shall coordinate and integrate the toolkit across health care sectors, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(1)  Managed care programs administered through the Department of Human Services.

(2)  Academic research institutions.

(3)  State medical centers.

(4)  Federally qualified health centers.

(5)  Associations representing hospitals and health systems.

(6)  Organizations representing physicians and medical students in Pennsylvania.

(7)  Organizations representing the advancement of health care and family physicians.

(8)  Organizations representing the advancement of nurse practitioners, health care professionals and health care organizations.

(9)  Organizations representing underserved communities which may be disproportionately impacted by Alzheimer's disease.

(10)  Any other public or private organization, entity or part of an organization or entity the department deems necessary.

(c)  Annual review.--The department shall review and update the information on the toolkit established in subsection (a) to reflect the most current and accurate information available on an annual basis.

Section 205-E.  Public awareness.

(a)  Public information.--The department shall include and make accessible on the department's publicly accessible Internet website information relating to Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder. The information, at a minimum, shall include the following:

(1)  Understanding cognitive decline, Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder, including the difference between normal cognitive aging and dementia.

(2)  Early warning signs of Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder.

(3)  Benefits of early detection and diagnosis.

(4)  Importance of discussing cognition with health care providers and tips on how to do so.

(5)  Risk reduction behaviors to slow onset of cognitive impairment, particularly among diverse communities who are at greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

(b)  Existing outreach programs.--The department shall incorporate public information in subsection (a) into existing relevant public health outreach programs administered by the department to promote understanding and awareness of Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder to the general public. Public awareness information shall provide uniform, consistent guidance in nonclinical terms, with an emphasis on cultural relevancy and health literacy.

Section 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

 

APPROVED--The 9th day of February, A.D. 2022.

 

TOM WOLF