One unintended consequence of health care reform was that sales of ‘‘child-only’’ insurance policies were halted in Georgia and other states.
These policies are usually bought by parents who have an employer policy that doesn’t offer dependent coverage. Sometimes they’re bought by parents who can’t purchase coverage for themselves due to cost or a health condition, and who want to cover their children.
When the Affordable Care Act required child-only insurance policies to accept kids with pre-existing health conditions, insurers in Georgia decided to stop offering new individual policies that cover children only.
But late Monday night, the state Senate passed House Bill 1166 aims to restore these policies to the private insurance market.
The measure, already approved by the House, would require insurers that sell individual health policies in Georgia to also offer child-only plans during an open enrollment period. full story
Health professionals in more than a dozen occupations must complete a continuing education program before they can renew a license in Georgia.
But nurses don’t have such a requirement.
That situation would change under Senate Bill 368, which passed the House Health and Human Services Committee on Monday. It had already passed the Senate by a nearly unanimous vote.
The Secretary of State’s Office, which licenses health professionals in the state, said at the committee hearing that Georgia is one of only 10 states with no requirement for nurses to show ‘‘continuing competency.’’
“This is a good bill that protects patients, protects nurses and protects employers,’’ said Michael O’Sullivan, director of legislative affairs for the Secretary of State’s Office.
Under Senate Bill 368, sponsored by Sen. Buddy Carter (R-Pooler), nurses would have five ways to demonstrate competency, including completing 30 hours of approved continuing education. Another method is having an employer such as a hospital verify that a nurse has practiced at least 500 hours over two years. full story
The state’s leading nursing organization says nurses are battling a batch of red tape in Georgia, with new obstacles added to an already frustrating system.
The newest hurdle comes from the state’s recently passed immigration law.
Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp told the Georgia Nurses Association conference in Atlanta on Thursday that nurses and other professionals renewing their state licenses next year will be required to send in documentation of their citizenship.
That rule will increase wait times for licensure, Kemp said, adding that his office will have to hire many more employees to review this documentation. He urged nurses to renew before January if possible.
Kemp also cited bureaucratic barriers to nurses who practice in other states and are seeking a Georgia license.
WXIA-TV reported this week that an Army nurse was unable to get a Georgia license as an LPN, even though she was licensed in three other states.
Beth Linderborg’s training came from the U.S. Army-AMEDD at Fort Sam Houston in Texas — one of the most respected nursing programs in the country, the report said. But the state of Georgia doesn’t recognize it, WXIA reported.
The issue of licensure reciprocity between states has concerned nurses in Georgia for years. full story
