For Hepatitis C Testing
| On June 16, 2014, Governor D. Malloy signed into law Public Act No. 14-203 which was passed through both the Connecticut Senate and House of Representatives which seeks to increase the number of patients who are tested for Hepatitis C, consistent with the announced goal of the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The law will require licensed primary care physicians, advanced practice registered nurses, and physician assistants to offer to provide or order a Hepatitis C screening or diagnostic test for patients born between 1945 and 1965 when providing services to these patients. The requirement will not apply when a patient (1) is being treated for a life-threatening emergency, (2) has been offered previously or has received a Hepatitis C screening test, or (3) lacks capacity to consent to a Hepatitis C screening test. “Primary care” is defined in this new law to include family medicine, general pediatrics, primary care internal medicine, primary care obstetrics, or primary care gynecology, without regard to board certification. The new Connecticut state law signed in June- Hepatitis C Testing... |
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2014)
(a) For purposes of this section:
(1) "Hepatitis C screening test" means a laboratory test that detects the presence of hepatitis C virus antibodies in the blood;
(2) "Hepatitis C diagnostic test" means a laboratory test that detects the presence of hepatitis C virus in the blood and provides confirmation of whether the person whose blood is being tested has a hepatitis C virus infection;
(3) "Primary care provider" means a physician, advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant who provides primary care services and is licensed by the Department of Public Health pursuant to Title 20 of the general statutes; and
(4) "Primary care" means the medical fields of family medicine, general pediatrics, primary care, internal medicine, primary care obstetrics or primary care gynecology, without regard to board certification.
Substitute Senate Bill No. 257
(b) On and after October 1, 2014, a primary care provider shall offer to provide to, or order for, each patient who was born between 1945 to 1965, inclusive, a hepatitis C screening test or hepatitis C diagnostic test at the time the primary care provider provides services to such patient, except a primary care provider is not required to offer to provide to, or order for, such patient a hepatitis C screening test or hepatitis C diagnostic test when the primary care provider reasonably believes: (1) Such patient is being treated for a life-threatening emergency; (2) such patient has previously been offered or has received a hepatitis C screening test; or (3) such patient lacks the capacity to consent to a hepatitis C screening test.
Source: Connecticut State Legislature 2014.
Resources Available:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2014)
(a) For purposes of this section:
(1) "Hepatitis C screening test" means a laboratory test that detects the presence of hepatitis C virus antibodies in the blood;
(2) "Hepatitis C diagnostic test" means a laboratory test that detects the presence of hepatitis C virus in the blood and provides confirmation of whether the person whose blood is being tested has a hepatitis C virus infection;
(3) "Primary care provider" means a physician, advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant who provides primary care services and is licensed by the Department of Public Health pursuant to Title 20 of the general statutes; and
(4) "Primary care" means the medical fields of family medicine, general pediatrics, primary care, internal medicine, primary care obstetrics or primary care gynecology, without regard to board certification.
Substitute Senate Bill No. 257
(b) On and after October 1, 2014, a primary care provider shall offer to provide to, or order for, each patient who was born between 1945 to 1965, inclusive, a hepatitis C screening test or hepatitis C diagnostic test at the time the primary care provider provides services to such patient, except a primary care provider is not required to offer to provide to, or order for, such patient a hepatitis C screening test or hepatitis C diagnostic test when the primary care provider reasonably believes: (1) Such patient is being treated for a life-threatening emergency; (2) such patient has previously been offered or has received a hepatitis C screening test; or (3) such patient lacks the capacity to consent to a hepatitis C screening test.
Source: Connecticut State Legislature 2014.
Resources Available:
- CDC for Healthcare Professionals: http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hcv/
- CDC for the Public: http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/c/
- HCV Advocate website: http://www.hcvadvocate.org/
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