Description
S.B. 961 creates an advisory board on pain and symptom management. It provides a forum that is open to all human health care professions and to all hospices licensed in developing an integrated approach to understanding and applying pain and symptom management techniques. The forum advises the licensing and registration boards and task force created, on the duration and content of continuing education requirements for pain an symptom management.

• S.B. 962 requires insurers to offer coverage for hospice care.
• H.B. 5335 requires that medical personnel furnish the board with satisfactory evidence of additional hours or courses in pain and symptom management in order to be eligible for license renewal.
• H.B. 5337 requires health care corporations to offer coverage for hospice care.
• H.B. 5339 was originally passed to require HMO’s to offer coverage for hospice care, but the insurance code was rewritten and that section has now been included under insurers.