No Patient Left Alone Act of 2023 This bill requires hospitals, as a condition of Medicare participation, to have certain written policies and procedures that provide for patient visitation rights and to inform patients of such rights, including any applicable restrictions.
Impact
If enacted, HB 219 will significantly alter the existing framework of hospital policies, making it a requirement for healthcare institutions to uphold specific visitation rights. By enforcing written policies, the bill seeks to promote transparency and patient autonomy in selecting visitors, including family members and friends. These rights cannot be restricted on the basis of race, national origin, religion, sex, or disability. This legislative change is likely to affect patient care and hospital operations, enhancing the overall patient experience during hospital stays.
Summary
House Bill 219, also known as the ‘No Patient Left Alone Act of 2023,’ aims to enhance patient rights regarding hospital visitation. The bill mandates that hospitals participating in Medicare must have formal policies that ensure patients are fully informed about their visitation rights. This includes detailing any potential restrictions on those rights, providing a comprehensive understanding of who may visit and under what conditions. Such measures intend to safeguard patients' emotional well-being and ensure they are not isolated during vulnerable moments in healthcare settings.
Contention
There has been some discussion surrounding the implications of the bill, particularly regarding the constraints that might be placed on hospitals in terms of visitation flexibility. Proponents of the bill argue that it is a crucial step in ensuring patients receive the emotional support they need while hospitalized, particularly in critical care situations. Conversely, some hospital administrators express concerns that mandatory visitation policies could complicate the management of hospital admissions during peak times, possibly impacting the quality of care provided.
No Patient Left Alone Act of 2025This bill requires hospitals, as a condition of Medicare participation, to have certain written policies and procedures that provide for patient visitation rights and to inform patients of such rights, including any applicable restrictions.
Women's Health Protection Act of 2023 This bill prohibits governmental restrictions on the provision of, and access to, abortion services. Before fetal viability, governments may not restrict providers from using particular abortion procedures or drugs, offering abortion services via telemedicine, or immediately providing abortion services if delaying risks the patient's health. Furthermore, governments may not require providers to perform unnecessary medical procedures, provide medically inaccurate information, or comply with credentialing or other conditions that do not apply to providers who offer medically comparable services to abortions. Additionally, governments may not require patients to make medically unnecessary in-person visits before receiving abortion services or disclose their reasons for obtaining services. After fetal viability, governments may not restrict providers from performing abortions when necessary to protect a patient's life and health. The same provisions that apply to abortions before viability also apply to necessary abortions after viability. Additionally, states may authorize post-viability abortions in circumstances beyond those that the bill considers necessary. Further, the bill recognizes an individual's right to interstate travel, including for abortion services. The bill also prohibits governments from implementing measures that are similar to those restricted by the bill or that otherwise single out and impede access to abortion services, unless the measure significantly advances the safety of abortion services or health of patients and cannot be achieved through less restrictive means. The Department of Justice, individuals, or providers may sue states or government officials to enforce this bill, regardless of certain immunity that would otherwise apply.
Close the Medigap Act of 2023 This bill (1) expands guaranteed issue rights with respect to Medigap policies (Medicare supplemental health insurance policies), (2) eliminates certain limitations on Medigap policies for newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries, and (3) modifies other provisions related to Medigap policies. (Guaranteed issue rights require that a policy be offered to any eligible applicant without regard to health status.)