ATLANTA – House Bill 1040, legislation introduced by State Representative Jimmy Pruett (R-Eastman) to improve access to home-based care, was signed into law by Governor Sonny Perdue on Friday, June 4, 2010.
“HB 1040 is about giving Georgians more personal responsibility and improving the quality of life for thousands of patients who do not have access to home-based care,” said Representative Pruett. “This legislation helps those who need health care services to remain within their community. It also lowers the cost of healthcare for the disabled, allowing them increased healthcare options they previously would not have been able to afford.”
HB 1040 amends the Nurse Practice Act to allow a designated unlicensed person who is trained by a Registered Nurse to provide a defined set of skilled services to a specific person, as long as those services are ordered by a licensed medical professional for a person who is disabled.
Current law allows family members to perform certain health maintenance activities, but HB 1040 expands this ability to include friends and caregivers as an option. The legislation is intended to target services that would otherwise have to be provided by an RN or LPN because the patient cannot provide the services to themselves due to disability.
A link to HB 1040 can be found by clicking here.
Editor’s Note: A photo of Friday’s signing of HB 1040 is attached to this press release for your convenience.
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Representative Jimmy Pruett represents the citizens of District 144, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, and Wilcox counties and portions of Ben Hill and Pulaski counties. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2006, and serves as one of Governor Perdue’s Floor Leaders. He currently serves on the Appropriations, Children & Youth, Economic Development & Tourism, and Industrial Relations Committees. He can be reached at Jimmy.Pruett@house.ga.gov or 404-651-7737.