Senate Bill S1814

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S1814

SPONSOR: RIVERA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the social services law and the public health law, in
relation to authorizing residents of assisted living programs to receive
hospice services

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this legislation is to allow residents of an assisted
living facility who are receiving Medicaid to be able to access hospice
services while remaining in their assisted living facility.  Current
Medicaid policy prevents terminally ill Assisted Living Program resi-
dents from accessing hospice services, forcing many residents to trans-
fer to a nursing home to receive hospice care.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: The Social Services law is amended to allow persons residing
              

in assisted living program (ALP) facilities to receive hospice services.
Such services will be reimbursed at the hospice rate, while ALP services
are to remain at the ALP rate.

Section 2. The public health law is amended to allow payment for hospice
services to residents of ALPs. The Commissioner of Health is authorized
to promulgate regulations to ensure that hospice services in the ALP-are
not duplicative of ALP services and are not reimbursed twice.

Section 3. Effective Date

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The current Medicaid policy prevents terminally ill residents of an
assisted living facility from accessing hospice services. As a result,
many residents are forced to leave their home in theassisted living
facility and transfer to a nursing home in their last few weeks of life.
This end of life transfer from an assisted living facility during this
difficult time creates additional burdens not only on the patient, but
also on their family. As a result, not only must all parties involved
cope with the terminal illness, but also now they must acclimate to new
surroundings.

If assisted living residents receiving Medicaid were permitted to
receive hospice services they would be able to remain in the Assisted
Living Facility at the end of life. It is estimated that by allowing
ALP's residents to access hospice services the Medicaid program would
avoid costly nursing hcme stays and save an estimated $1.3 million.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

It is estimated that by allowing ALP's patients access to hospice
services the Medicaid program would save an estimated $1.3 million.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.