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Bill > HB435
VA HB435
VA HB435Palliative Care Info. & Ed. Prog. & Palliative Care & Quality of Life Advisory Council; established.
summary
Introduced
01/12/2026
01/12/2026
In Committee
02/05/2026
02/05/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Regular Session
Bill Summary
Palliative Care Information and Education Program; Palliative Care and Quality of Life Advisory Council established. Directs the Board of Health to include in its regulations a requirement that every hospital, nursing home, and certified nursing facility licensed by the Board (i) establish a system for identifying patients or residents who may benefit from palliative care and (ii) provide information about and facilitate access to appropriate palliative care services for patients or residents experiencing illness, injuries, or conditions that substantially affect quality of life for more than a short period of time. The bill also directs the Department of Health to establish a palliative care consumer and professional information and education program to maximize the effectiveness of palliative care initiatives in the Commonwealth by (a) ensuring that comprehensive and accurate information and education about palliative care is available to the public, health care providers, and health care facilities and (b) implementing such other initiatives related to education about palliative care and the delivery of palliative care services as may be necessary to educate health care professionals and the public about palliative care. The bill further establishes the Palliative Care and Quality of Life Advisory Council to advise the Department on matters related to the establishment, operation, maintenance, and outcomes evaluations of such initiatives. The bill directs the Palliative Care and Quality of Life Advisory Council to study the possibility of establishing a Medicaid benefit for palliative care and the need for a licensure scheme for palliative care providers. The bill further directs the Board of Health to develop a statewide advanced care planning campaign to increase public awareness of available palliative care options.
AI Summary
This bill mandates that hospitals, nursing homes, and certified nursing facilities must establish systems to identify patients or residents who could benefit from palliative care, which is defined as patient-centered medical care focused on optimizing quality of life by treating suffering caused by serious illness, addressing physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs, and can be provided at any stage of illness alongside other treatments. The bill also requires these facilities to provide information about and facilitate access to palliative care services for individuals with conditions significantly impacting their quality of life, such as cancer, heart failure, or ALS. Furthermore, the Department of Health is directed to create an education program to make comprehensive information about palliative care accessible to the public and healthcare providers, and to implement other initiatives to educate professionals and the public on palliative care delivery. To advise on these efforts, a Palliative Care and Quality of Life Advisory Council is established, composed of various healthcare professionals, a patient or family member, an ethicist, and a representative from an independent living center, which will also study the feasibility of a Medicaid benefit for palliative care and the need for licensing palliative care providers, reporting its findings by November 1, 2026. Finally, the Board of Health will launch a statewide campaign to raise public awareness about advanced care planning and available palliative care options.
Committee Categories
Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services
Sponsors (4)
Last Action
Left in Committee Appropriations (on 02/18/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB435 |
| Fiscal Note/Analysis - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB435) | https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1135051.PDF |
| BillText | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB435/text/HB435H1 |
| Fiscal Note/Analysis - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB435) | https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116057.PDF |
| BillText | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB435/text/HB435HC2 |
| BillText | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB435/text/HB435HC1 |
| BillText | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB435/text/HB435 |
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