Robert Powell, JD, CHIA Legislative Advocate, identifies proposed legislation and regulations that could have an impact on the health care field. The CHIA Legislation Committee’s task is to review each of these proposed regulations that could have an impact on the health care field and to determine what, if any, impact they could have on the Health Information Management profession.

A review each of these bills requires a significant investment of time on the part of the Legislative Committee members. Most legislative proposals will be amended multiple times. Reviewing legislative bills, amendments and technical background information is a challenging assignment for this CHIA Legislation Committee. Many will have no impact on our profession. These can be dropped from our list or periodically monitored to assure that there have been no changes that would be significant to CHIA members. There are those bills that have an impact on the HIM profession and/or practices. Some are bills which CHIA members would support and which would have little impact on current practices. Others, would have direct, significant impact on HIM profession and/or practices. In these cases, the Legislation Committee must decide whether to recommend CHIA support of the bill, try to get specific language changed and then support the bill, or to oppose the bill. Once the recommendation is formulated, it is sent to the CHIA Board of Directors, which then makes the final decision regarding the official CHIA position. The Board decision then provides Mr. Powell and CHIA members with direction in working with the various legislators.

All of the proposed California legislation is available on the Internet. To access information about a bill text, amendments, analyses and status, go to http://www.leginfo.ca.gov or http://www.sen.ca.gov or http://www.assembly.ca.gov

In addition to legislative proposals the CHIA Legislation Committee is involved with administrative policy activities

This Committee meets once in person and has periodic conference calls. CHIA attempts to appoint members who cover the array of health care areas - Acute Care, Long Term Care, Mental Health, Ambulatory, Home Health, etc.

Committee Composition

Chair
Brian Faust, RHIA Legislation@CaliforniaHIA.org
Members Mike Ball, RHIA
Linda Cannon, RHIA
Starla Ledbetter, MHSA, RHIA 
Pam Woods, MS, RHIA
Susan Korose, RHIA 
Rebecca Clark, RHIA
Shirlie Marymee, RHIA, CHP
Debra Primeau, MAOM, RHIA
 
Legislative Advocate
Robert Powell, JD
Board Liaison
Dana Read, RHIA
Ex-Officio
LaVonne LaMoureaux, RHIA, CAE
Marilyn Taylor, RHIT