KMS Update: Legislature news, vaccine and other COVID-19 updates

New Kansas Emergency Management Act signed into law
This week, Gov. Kelly signed into law the updated Kansas Emergency Management Act (KEMA). The law extends the state of disaster declaration for COVID-19 through May 28, 2021, and gives the governor limited authority to issue executive orders in response to the ongoing pandemic. The new KEMA law revokes the governor’s current executive orders (which were set to expire on March 31), while allowing the governor to re-issue such orders via certain processes. The governor said this week that she intends to re-issue several executive orders, including one requiring face masks in most public places and in outdoor settings where adequate social distance cannot be maintained. She also said that this order would apply to all counties that opted out of the previous face mask order. Legislative leadership responded saying it would oppose such a mask mandate; under the new KEMA law, the legislature has the authority to rescind such executive orders.

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KMS Update: Legislature and COVID-19 updates

From KMS Executive Director Rachelle Colombo
With Friday’s adjournment, the Legislature has passed its first major deadline of the session, when most bills need to have been approved by at least one chamber. After a short break, legislators will have about three weeks to further consider bills that are still alive this session. After the next deadline on March 31, typically only those bills that have fully moved through both chambers (as well as exempt bills, such as a budget bill) will be eligible for passage this session.

Given that timeline, here is the status of some of the bills we have been involved with this session.

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KMS Update: Call to action on APRN bill and COVID-19 updates

From KMS Executive Director Rachelle Colombo
I’d like to preface this week’s update by noting that this is among the rare times that we are calling all KMS members to action—that is, to send a brief note to one or more legislators as suggested below. But first, I will give you the context from recent developments in the legislature.

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KMS Update: Developments at Statehouse, KMS Legislative Update registration, and COVID-19 updates

From KMS Executive Director Rachelle Colombo
This week, three bills proposing to allow nonphysician practice of medicine were made public, two of which have hearings scheduled for next week.

House 2256 and Senate Bill 174 seek to remove the requirement for a collaborative practice agreement between an APRN and a physician, where the former seeks to treat patients independently with no statutory limits on their scope of practice. Currently the bills are scheduled for hearings on 2/17 in House Health and Human Services and on 2/18 in Senate Public Health and Welfare (note: it is possible one or both of these hearings will be delayed). We plan to testify in opposition to both. Live streams of all House and Senate health committee meetings are available on YouTube (under “Upcoming live streams”).

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KMS Update: New bills introduced, KMS Legislative Update registration, vaccine and other COVID-19 updates

From KMS Executive Director Rachelle Colombo
Since our last update, several proposals have emerged in the legislature that may implicate the practice of medicine in Kansas.

First, you have likely seen in recent news reports that Gov. Kelly plans to again support a bill to expand Medicaid, but this time by tying the proposal to passing a medical marijuana bill and using tax revenue from marijuana sales to cover the state cost for expanding Medicaid. Although a specific bill(s) has yet to be introduced, for Kansas physicians and other proponents of Medicaid expansion, this approach may prove to be problematic. Clearly it is critical that Kansans have access to care—and therefore KMS has always supported Medicaid expansion—however, we oppose medical marijuana, while it remains unapproved by the FDA.

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KMS Update: Legislature advances priority issues, vaccine and other COVID-19 updates, KMS Annual Meeting

Legislative update from KMS Executive Director Rachelle Colombo
Just two weeks in to the 2021 legislative session and it is already unlike any before it. Within the first week, committees were meeting on priority issues, racing against what some have taken to calling the “COVID clock” — acknowledging the likelihood of legislators’ increased exposure to COVID-19 with each passing day under the dome. In addition to their constitutional duty to pass a budget funding state programs by the end of June, top legislative leaders identified two other priorities.

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KMS Update: COVID-19 vaccine availability, new PPP loans, and other updates

From KMS Executive Director Rachelle Colombo
While calendars bring new activities and resolutions, they rarely alter the challenges and opportunities before us as a mere matter of a date in time. And so, while we bid a hearty adieu to 2020, we greet 2021 with informed perspective and expectations for what might lie ahead. The medical community—and the world at large—has weathered much these last nine months and, like the rest of the globe, has been wearied by the experience and seeks hope of brighter days on the horizon.

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KMS update: Advocacy Day postponed, new COVID-19 law provisions, and other updates

From KMS Executive Director Rachelle Colombo
Circumstances in our professional and day-to-day lives continue to change, perhaps more rapidly now than previously in the pandemic. The Kansas Legislature is, of course, affected by these circumstances as well, and is currently considering potential new approaches to their process—as well as a significantly revised schedule—to their work for the upcoming session. While we are in close communication with legislative leadership, it is too early to predict what shape their plans may take.

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KMS update: COVID-19 vaccine updates

From KMS Executive Director Rachelle Colombo
The pandemic environment continues to evolve and, in many Kansas communities, COVID-19 infections are on the rise more than ever. KMS continues to work closely with state and federal leaders to gather and disseminate pertinent information and resources for you and your patients.

With FDA approval of the first vaccines this week, there is naturally heightened interest in how and when vaccinations will become available across Kansas. We know that many of you are getting questions from patients for which you do not yet have answers. Likewise, we know you want to ensure that you and your staff members can be vaccinated as soon as possible, so that you can provide the safest possible care for your patients.

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KMS update: COVID-19 updates

CDC announces codes for COVID-19-related conditions
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced six new ICD-10-CM codes to track conditions related to COVID-19. The new codes are intended to track: COVID-19 screenings; potential exposure to COVID-19; personal history of COVID-19; multi-system inflammatory syndrome; other systemic involvement of connective tissue; and pneumonia due to COVID-19. The codes will become effective Jan. 1, 2021. Full information is available here. 

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Suggested Resources for Maintaining Your Mental Health During COVID-19

As we continue to face challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, KMS seeks to support our membership with a variety of resources. The Federation of State Professionals’ Health Programs (PHP) and the KMS PHP has compiled the following list of free resources available that will hopefully assist you in maintaining your own health. If you need additional resources or emotional support, the KMS PHP staff can be reached 24 hours a day at (785) 235-2383.

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