Podiatrists can now perform surgery to treat "acute ankle trauma," but not ankle fractures. Physicians' assistants can write medication orders for most drugs, but the prescriptions require a doctor's supervision. Health insurance companies can't stiff-arm their creditors so easily by demanding extra documentation for medical claims. New law says they have to pay up within 30 days after the additional paperwork is submitted.
Maryland companies are allowed to test your hair in pre-employment drug tests, not just your urine or blood. Publishers of newspapers and telephone directories have until 2005 to get the recycled content of their paper up to 40 percent. Under previous law, newspapers had to hit 40 percent by 1998, and telephone books were exempt. Starting Oct. 1, you can't be prosecuted for criminal defamation in Maryland. In Washington County, a test grade of 75 percent or higher isn't necessary to get your master electrician license. Starting Oct. 1, 70 percent is good enough.
