HB4913 Summary: Pediatric Palliative Care

• Establishes pediatric palliative care as a permanent program (not a pilot) under the medical assistance program for children under 19 with serious illnesses, allowing them to receive palliative care while continuing curative treatments.

• Expands the age limit for qualifying children from 18 to 19 years old and changes eligibility criteria from "potentially life-limiting medical conditions" to "serious illness," which includes a broader range of conditions like cancer, neurological disorders, genetic syndromes, and end-stage organ diseases.

• Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to develop pediatric palliative care programs delivered by trained interdisciplinary teams including physicians, nurses, and social workers, with standards established for managed care organizations.

• Repeals the provision that made the original Pediatric Palliative Care Act inoperative on July 1, 2012, making the program permanent rather than temporary.

• Mandates the Department prepare a report to the General Assembly after 3 years assessing program outcomes and recommending improvements, including review of covered serious illnesses and necessary services for high-quality care.