Belgian Child Euthanasia Bill Sparks Debate
The debate over euthanasia usually revolves around terminally ill adults. Adults are presumed to be able to make rational, informed decisions about their quality of life and the possibility of ending it. But in Belgium, this assumption of rationality is being considered in children. The Belgian Senate approved a bill […]
California Law Requires Chefs to Wear Gloves
A California law (Section 113961 of the California Retail Food Code) that went into effect on January 1, 2014 prevents restaurant workers in the state from handling ready-to-eat food. (NBC Los Angeles, Inside Scoop SF) The law was previously only a suggestion in the food safety code, and has now […]
PPACA Contraceptive Coverage Challenge
On Tuesday, November 26, 2013, the Supreme Court granted certiorari to review portions of the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act requiring employers of a certain size to offer insurance coverage for birth control and other reproductive health services without a co-pay. In enacting the Affordable Care Act, Congress required large […]
Medical Malpractice Law and the Changing Healthcare Landscape
Proponents of tort reform are considering asking Congress to revive the Republican-created Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act, which died in committee in 2011. (GovTrack) Supporters say that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) did not go far enough to reform the tort system. (Politico) The revived HEALTH Act, […]
Subcommittee Hearing Sheds Light on Opioid Overdose Deaths among VA Patients
On October 10, 2013, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs’ Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on the topic of the “VA’s [Veteran Affairs] Skyrocketing Use of Prescription Painkillers to Treat Veterans.” The committee called on doctors, military personnel, family, and government officials to learn more about the alarming increase […]