[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6383569,"mediaKeyId","2124121-ce593a26636b0fd6d804239537ac511a","parentId",2124121,"title","After emotional testimony, subcommittee delays review bill for surgical consent forms","audioSeconds",920,"startMs",3604000,"endMs",4524000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2124121-ce593a26636b0fd6d804239537ac511a&start=3604&end=4524","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2124121-ce593a26636b0fd6d804239537ac511a/thumbnail_3604000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6383569/Virginia/After-emotional-testimony-subcommittee-delays-review-bill-for-surgical-consent-forms","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6383569-15a82bca5cddf47a0d28027e510b58d0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771180024&Signature=U~Xxx4spqhjch613t~9OjBmhadS0yar3qE6b4l7pUsYF4A1tLZsaViqHqpJfaG-TAHalUj1GFWZB1yBBq~adnldVeBvSwm1GEjbuLxagHr6XwtydMsqYXXERBvG6QrhVkuJgGSVOyqOPeRzcoeqFSssLGBPyr5REEMNhKsXZvRMG0xN2hVnNPpBBiYnuYnESIOhI5DcMTh494rrdgX5LzXNqiDhzS8~Ry04~J8h3SxnXKQsofM9IJnycQgY7XVOSop0f7dowNTDFkTYXZQSJ7x~hdDvVNr9WejVSiNGOGO65aVNm8FfaqLuhLX1vCxw2R0xVFCx8GeWslhIQaCYr-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Virginia Legislature","date","2025-01-16T00:00:00Z","article","The House Health, Welfare and Institutions Subcommittee took testimony Friday on HB 1787, a bill to require the Secretary of Health to review surgical informed‑consent forms at least once every five years, but voted to take the measure ‘‘by for the day’’ to allow further work and off‑committee conversations.

Delegate Orrock, who presented the bill, said the proposal grew out of last year’s more narrowly focused measure and aims to standardize surgical consent forms across facilities and ensure they are updated as medical standards evolve.

Karen Collins, a witness who described herself as a patient injured by a surgical procedure, told the committee she consented to a diagnostic laparoscopy and possible appendectomy in 2018 but later learned her surgeon removed her only remaining functioning ovary without her informed consent. Collins said the removal rendered her sterile and induced menopause at age 37; the jury in her malpractice trial found for the doctor, she said, citing boilerplate language in the consent form that allowed additional procedures for ‘‘unforeseen conditions.’’ She said the issue is not isolated and referenced broader accounts and the recent Chesapeake case involving multiple victims.

Brent Rawlings of the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association said he was not aware of a regular, formal process at the Virginia Department of Health to review all informed‑consent forms used in hospitals and physician practices. He urged that the record‑level conversation between patient and provider remains critical and noted legal and accrediting standards already touch informed consent.

Committee members discussed whether the bill should remove or narrowly limit ‘‘catchall’’ consent language and whether the measure would be likely to survive gubernatorial review as drafted. The sponsor asked to continue working with members and stakeholders. The subcommittee agreed to take the bill by for the day and continue negotiations; no final action on content was taken at the hearing.

The committee also discussed definitions and threshold questions about what constitutes surgery and acknowledged the difficulty of finding a single fix for the legal and medical issues raised by witnesses.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Behavioral Health Subcommittee Thursday, Jan 16, 2025 6:51 AM - 8:07 AM","oneSentenceSummary","HB 1787 would require the Secretary of Health to review surgical informed‑consent forms at least every five years; the subcommittee took extended testimony, including a survivor's account, and voted to take the bill 'by for the day' to allow further drafting and discussion.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature VA, Virginia","taxId",77687,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6383574,"Subcommittee backs bill to form work group on sustainable funding for forensic nursing",250,3195000,3445000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2124121-ce593a26636b0fd6d804239537ac511a&start=3195&end=3445","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2124121-ce593a26636b0fd6d804239537ac511a/thumbnail_3195000.jpg","/articles/6383574/Virginia/Subcommittee-backs-bill-to-form-work-group-on-sustainable-funding-for-forensic-nursing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6383574-417cde9fef4fcaf1a87f72796875436c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771180024&Signature=E1uqW~CwfuQ~JFRVONNezxxWBUHYD76lphBDnsta7wUxUZVcusgv67t05x14HquwLEt17WX0g~JvFfTJ8FjDDhv~ZL5-MnX~vgmLVvAW2IezwCJN~puHtKgAgtVC2zCSVM7cMbBAvmzUDqLcqaNNCAOuq448uxSHIO1cxvwrqhvqz9CsfUncIxaWp3P3Y4TyN3WyAnszK3YSz1RomhKMnMIvrVeSFThKGxcsVbqNYB3Zsx~x68q63Yj1V0JEnYfDyJjX4dXdWwPOyHvoWyhWvIo1VbIDZthA6fcg3TDsXHx0uZlmzXhsVLWEdSa-HquCeosMtGzCWP70opWCapDO2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Health, Welfare and Institutions Subcommittee voted 8-0 to report HB 1731, a bill from Delegate Delaney that sunsets an existing task force created by House Bill 808 (2020) and creates a temporary work group to find sustainable funding for sexual assault medical forensic examiners and related services.

Delegate Delaney said the 2020 task force fulfilled its original directive and ‘‘has met its directive’’ but that the Commonwealth still needs a focused group to develop long‑term funding solutions. She told the committee the new group will present its findings to a report to the General Assembly by November 1, 2025.

Davis Gammon of the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association told the panel the association is in “strong support” and thanked the delegate for her work on behalf of patients and providers. Laura Holdren of Bon Secours said Bon Secours houses the largest forensic nursing program in the state and supports the bill.

There was no opposition in the hearing. The subcommittee voted to report HB 1731 to the next stage by a voice vote recorded as 8 to nothing.

The bill requires the work group to develop options for sustainable funding and deliver a report to the General Assembly on Nov. 1, 2025.","HB 1731 would replace an earlier task force with a temporary work group to seek sustainable funding for sexual assault medical forensic examiners and requires a report to the General Assembly by Nov. 1, 2025; the subcommittee voted 8-0 to report the bill.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6383579,"Subcommittee advances bill to make recovery residences reimbursable under Medicaid",602,2577000,3179000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2124121-ce593a26636b0fd6d804239537ac511a&start=2577&end=3179","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2124121-ce593a26636b0fd6d804239537ac511a/thumbnail_2577000.jpg","/articles/6383579/Virginia/Subcommittee-advances-bill-to-make-recovery-residences-reimbursable-under-Medicaid","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6383579-019b002ca2698f950e22e1b842198087/orig.mp4?Expires=1771180024&Signature=U5AdCsKsgaFoVacFhJFuumotn9Ry9Kf0dbRitBiETK8e1Cq6qaqUIYjUcaPqN1TQoosF6E-dOLGxG8GdJmf1PZ23Zu3Ph-2NIqktuYE0YO1BIQaYTqPytfrRWIDgytx~0kOfkpqg3rrVmKc7qxvv2YVEB~EKE-VzwKBVsj1YjvdQ3YeexvrAENqobiQBMW9WWRx~qpxTEXe4VTZv5l-B4muwnOhH77qNz2gm8q5HCv2sQ~j297XQBGkem91PNH5n7lwdBRxR0Lj5NR~x82FWhxb0VdYhJdOrygPM4mZ-O-Xp-sukJCqYUIZM5tu1S8vQzAde-cDyDG3Z0emy9oxvSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Health, Welfare and Institutions Subcommittee on Friday voted 8-0 to report HB 1893, a bill from Delegate Seabolt that would make recovery residences reimbursable under Virginia’s Medicaid program and convene a work group to study effectiveness and economic impact.

Delegate Seabolt told the committee HB 1893 would expand access to care for people with substance use disorder by aligning state practice with the American Society of Addiction Medicine’s standards. “This legislation saves lives and I hope that you support it,” she said.

The bill responds to changes in national guidance and to federal activity at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. A witness who operates recovery residences told the committee that, under non‑Medicaid commercial insurance plans, recovery residences are currently not covered and that Medicaid coverage has in practice relied on 1115 waiver arrangements. Committee members asked whether the state employee health plan covers recovery housing; a witness replied, “No.”

Supporters told the committee the change could reduce downstream criminal justice and health system costs. Michael Sizemore of the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance said the group “fully support[s] this bill” as a step to help people in recovery. Sarah Scarborough, who said she runs Real Life and chairs the Virginia Association of Recovery Residences, described operating 11 houses with 121 beds and said Real Life subsidized residents after costs rose “by 110%” over the last year.

HB 1893 would also create a work group to assess effectiveness and economic impact and would require a report to the General Assembly by November 1, 2025. The subcommittee voted to report and refer the bill to the Appropriations Committee by a vote of 8 to nothing.

The bill next goes to the Appropriations Committee; the required work group report is due to the General Assembly on November 1, 2025.","The House Health, Welfare and Institutions Subcommittee voted unanimously to report HB 1893, which would align Virginia with ASAM standards and set up a work group to study Medicaid reimbursement and the economic impact of recovery residences.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

After emotional testimony, subcommittee delays review bill for surgical consent forms

Subcommittee backs bill to form work group on sustainable funding for forensic nursing

Subcommittee advances bill to make recovery residences reimbursable under Medicaid