Clone of Improving Quality of Life for Cancer Patients - Palliative Care

Increase access to palliative care services for all cancer patients and work with the Legislature to ensure palliative care benefits for Medi-Cal are implemented in a timely manner.

Senate Bill 294 (Hernandez): Palliative Care

Summary:

SB 294 (Hernandez) would update current law to allow hospice agencies to provide palliative care services to patients who are not on hospice.

Need for bill:

• Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with chronic diseases. 

• Palliative care is coordinated care, provided by a team of palliative care doctors, nurses, social workers, and others who work together to provide patients with relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness, including cancer.

• With the passage of AB 1745 (Chan), Chapter 330, Statutes of 2006, and SB 1004 (Hernandez), Chapter 574, Statutes of 2014, California has been promoting palliative care as an option for low income children and adults on Medi-Cal with advanced serious illnesses.

• The Department of Health Care Services oversees the program and has allowed for Medi-Cal managed care plans to meet patients’ individual needs, which may include providing palliative care, in a variety of settings, including inpatient and outpatient facilities, community-based providers, and hospice agencies.

• This bill is needed because current law does not permit hospice to provide palliative care for persons who are also seeking curative treatment. Hospice providers are not authorized to provide palliative care services beyond initial consultations, to patients not on hospice.

What will SB 294 do?

Senate Bill 294 will update current law and clarify that hospice providers can treat palliative care patients seeking curative treatment.

ACS CAN Position:  Sponsor.  For more information regarding this position, please contact ACS CAN California’s Director of State Legislation, Autumn Ogden at 916.504.2475 or [email protected]