SB1268

THE CONTEXT: For information that is received and kept by DHS is available to the public except for information that: 1) is obtained for the review of health care utilization or certain health care practices; 2) is medical information or any information from which a patient or the patient's family might be identified; 3) is personally identifiable information of a physician that is received and any records kept regarding the physician's admitting privileges; or 4) may cause DHS to believe that an inspection of an institution is needed to determine the extent of compliance. DHS may release information listed to an officer...

WHAT THE BILL DID: The final vetoed version would require each hospital that accepts AHCCCS to include a place on its admission or registration form for a patient, or the patient's representative, to state or indicate whether the patient is: a) a U.S; citizen; or b) is lawfully or not lawfully present in the U.S, require the inquiry to be followed by a statement on the form that the patient's response will not affect the patient's care or result in a report of the patient's immigration status to immigration authorities, and direct each hospital to submit a quarterly report to DHS within 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter that states the number of hospital admissions or emergency department visits within the previous quarter made by a patient who indicated whether the patient is a U.S; citizen, is lawfully or unlawfully present in the U.S; or declined to answer.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to give patients a defined set of rights and a clear informed-consent standard. It would require each hospital that accepts AHCCCS to include a place on its admission or registration form for a patient, or the patient's representative, to state or indicate whether the patient is: a) a U.S. citizen; or b) is lawfully or not lawfully present in the U.S, and would also require the inquiry to be followed by a statement on the form that the patient's response will not affect the patient's care or result in a report of the patient's immigration status to immigration authorities, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.