Lawmakers consider palliative care bill

A bill offering patients a chance to work with health providers to design their treatment through a chronic illness has survived another day after emotional testimony in front of Montana lawmakers Monday afternoon.

The Montana House of Representatives advanced House Bill 285 with an 85 to 14 vote during the bill’s second reading. The legislation calls for the state to strengthen palliative, or supportive, care, to help people facing complex health issues.

Bill sponsor Rep. Wendy McKamey, R-Great Falls, said the variations of care could come in simple forms, like helping a child design their hospital room to look a little more like home.

“This isn’t just something that is a good idea,” McKamey said. “It is something that actually works.”

The World Health Organization defines palliative care as an assessment and treatment of pain and physical, psychosocial and spiritual problems tied to an illness.

McKamey said people often think of palliative care as treatment to be used when someone is dying. Instead, she said, it can help someone live well — whether a diagnosis comes with weeks to live or a full recovery.

McKamey’s son was 13 when he was diagnosed with cancer. The most intense part of his treatment began in eighth grade. McKamey said that because the family was able to work with their out-of-state doctors to tailor her son’s treatment, he was able to live a fulfilled life until he died.

She said in the next few years, he was top in his eighth grade class, won farming competitions and played music.

McKamey said the week before he died, “he said, ‘mom, I feel no pain.’ That is what

palliative care did for my son.”

Kristin Page-Nei with the state’s American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network said the organization hopes lawmakers pass the legislation. She said the bill would improve access to a greater variety of care in a state where resources are spread across rural communities.

If passed, House Bill 285 would require Montana’s Department of Public Health and Human Services to establish a palliative care access initiative. The department would appoint and operate a volunteer advisory council to survey palliative care services in Montana and improve people’s access to the treatment options.

The effort also calls for the development of an education program for patients and health providers to understand what palliative care is and how to tap into resources across the state. As part of that, Page-Nei said the state’s health department website would include a page that defines what palliative care is for patients and providers, and outlines how to tap into local resources.

She said most of the materials for the program already exists, “it’s just a matter of putting it in one place.”

The bill was written to avoid any fiscal impact on the state.

On Feb. 10, the Human Services Committee Passed along the bill to the House with a slim vote, 8 to 7.

“I was the eighth vote that got this out of committee,” said Rep. Tom Welch, R-Dillon as he addressed the House floor Monday afternoon. Welch once again gave his support for the legislation before the house cast its votes.

No one spoke against the bill during the second reading.

The bill is scheduled for a third reading today. If it passes, the bill will move on to the state Senate.

Reporter Katheryn Houghton may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at khoughton@dailyinterlake.com.