Colorado Dialysis Technician Training Standards hearing - February 1st

[plugger]

It looks like our side just about hit one out of the park!  We passed the state Senate 23-11!  All that is left is for the Governor to sign it!  I talked to my rep and he is pretty confident of that happening; he said he would get back to me if anything changes - so I guess I can stop the email blitz.

It has been quite a roller-coaster ride, but the end is in sight.

[Rerun]

  I hope it goes through.  With politicians it is not over until the ink is dry.

[plugger]

Rerun,

I hear that!  I won't feel completely save until the Governor puts his John Hancock on it, let's just say it is looking real good right now.

[plugger]

We did it!!!!  The governor signed the bill Thursday (May 31st)!  It looks like we have more work ahead
of us, but the framework is now in place. 

I got this from my state rep:
"Congratulations!  HB-1131 was signed into law today.  Good work and now we just need to make
sure that the law is implemented and enforced as we envisioned."

We didn't get a ceremony and I didn't get a pen - but I think I will get over it.

[thegrammalady]

WOOPIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[goofynina]

Let's here it for Plugger!!! Hooray    Good going Plugger, and thank you 

[plugger]

Thanks!  But I really have to thank all the people who paved the way for our little group: Dr. Kenneth Bays from DialysisEthics (deceased) - who I spent many hours on the phone with, Brent Smith from DialysisEthics (deceased) - who testified at the 2000 Federal Senate hearings and was involved in the Arizona tech bill, Dale Ester from yahoo's Dialysis_Support (still with us - Thank God!) - also involved with the Arizona tech bill, Frank Brown (deceased) - involved with the Federal Senate 2000 hearing, Victor (deceased) - involved with DialysisEthics, FoundingRN from DialysisEthics and Patient Rights Advocacy (still around), and of course Arlene Mullin-Lane from DialysisEthics/Patient Rights Advocacy (still going) who has always been a phone call away.  These are people I consider pioneers and I'm sorry if I missed anybody.

These people not only paved the way, but put the backbone in my backbone.

[plugger]

I decided to tell the story of how the Colorado Hemodialysis Technician Training Standards bill came about.  I just wanted to show how a small determined group of people got it done.

Besides the story I've also added a friend's response to the state report that almost shot us down and a fact sheet with some stats.  I plan to add more but this will do for now.

I posted what I have at the new Patient Rights Advocacy healthcare forum where I'm a moderator.  This is an organization that believes in the one-two punch of both legislation and legal action - not only for dialysis, but healthcare in general.

Patient Rights Advocacy link:
http://www.patientrightsadvocacy.org/index.php

My topic is in the Healthcare Forum, under "Dialysis Company" heading, and the "Colorado Tech bill story" topic.

[plugger]

I’ve added a part 2 to my Colorado Tech bill story that contains an introduction I sent to many of the legislators around here – I thought it got a pretty good response.  It is more in-depth than the fact sheet I posted in part 1 and has stats, a government report, an email, arguments, etc… I tried to give an overview of the industry and thought I would post it for anybody interested.  I remember there was one legislator at one of the hearings ask “where is the fire?”.  I think this might help show things are a little toasty!

Again, my topic is at:
Patient Rights Advocacy:
http://www.patientrightsadvocacy.org/index.php

My topic is in the Healthcare Forum, under "Dialysis Company" heading, and the "Colorado Tech bill story part 2" topic.

[thegrammalady]

plugger, while i know the Governor has signed this bill, when does it tale effect?

[plugger]

Thegrammalady,

We were hoping to have all techs certified by January 2009, but now I'm hearing the board of health is going to want about six months to get their act together.  So we maybe looking at July 2009.

[plugger]

I also thought adding a part 3 to my Colorado tech bill story might be nice; it has some of the testimony given: there is Mary's testimony (a lady who spent a total of 11 1/2 years on dialysis), my daughter's testimony, and my testimony.

And again, the topics are at:
Patient Rights Advocacy:
http://www.patientrightsadvocacy.org/index.php

They are in the Healthcare Forum, under "Dialysis Company" heading, and the "Colorado Tech bill story part 3 - testimony" topic is the latest topic.

[Black]

Congrats,    job well done.    You have paved the way for others in their own states.  These things seem to usually have a domino effect and I believe that in time millions will benefit from your hard work and dedication. 

[plugger]

Hey thanks!  This has been an obsession with me for sometime; hopefully my brain will quit poking me with a sharp stick for awhile.  I do hope this might make it easier for anybody else who might want to give it a try.

[plugger]

I realized I was amiss in recognizing all the organizations that helped us with the Colorado tech bill - also thought some of these organizations might be helpful for anybody else who might want to try what we did, so I added a part 4 to the story I wrote:

Colorado_Tech_Bill_story_link