Hemodialysis technicians.

Existing federal law sets forth certain requirements that dialysis facilities must meet in order to be certified under the Medicare Program, including a requirement that patient care dialysis technicians at those facilities complete a specified training program, have a high school diploma or equivalency, be certified under a state or national certification program, and meet all applicable state requirements, as specified. Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of various clinical laboratory personnel and makes a violation of those provisions a crime. Within that law, the Hemodialysis Technician Training Act prohibits a person from providing services as a hemodialysis technician without being certified by the State Department of Public Health as meeting certain requirements, as specified. This bill would revise those requirements and prohibit a person from providing services as a hemodialysis technician without being certified by the department as having a high school diploma or equivalency or 4 years of specified work experience, successfully completing a training program meeting specified requirements, and passing a standardized test, certified by faculty of the University of California and approved by the department, as specified, or passing an examination offered by a certification program approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as specified. The bill would require technicians certified by the department as of the bill's operative date to meet those requirements by April 15, 2010, as specified. The bill would make other conforming and technical, nonsubstantive changes. By changing the definition of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. This bill would also declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.