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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 454 FILED ON: 1/16/2013 SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 287
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts _________________ PRESENTED BY: Harriette L. Chandler _______________ To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying: An Act to standardize the regulation of skilled nursing facilities. _______________ PETITION OF:
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 454 FILED ON: 1/16/2013 SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 287
An Act to standardize the regulation of skilled nursing facilities. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: SECTION 1: The Department of Public Health shall amend the Licensure Procedure and Suitability Requirements for Long-Term Care Facilities in Massachusetts regulations (105 CMR 153). Such amendment shall establish a formal and open public hearing process that would precede approval of and allow for public input on any application for a license, notice of intent for transfer of ownership or notice of intent to sell or close any skilled nursing facility whether for-profit or non-profit. SECTION 2: The Department of Public Health, the Center for Health Information & Analysis, the Office of Elder Affairs, the Office of Medicaid and the Office of the Attorney General shall work together with all interested stakeholders to review and develop policy recommendations for improvements to the licensing of long term care facilities in the Commonwealth (105 CMR 150; 105 CMR 153), regulations concerning standard payments and cost reporting by nursing facilities (114.2 CMR 600) and the requirements for the provision of nursing-facility services under MassHealth (130 CMR 456). Such recommendations shall include proposed amendments to these regulations to: Provide more transparent, timely and complete public access to information concerning skilled nursing facility licensing, reimbursement and quality care standards; and Improve the regulation and public reporting of information concerning transfers of licenses for, new ownership of, and the closure of skilled nursing facility licenses; and Otherwise enhance the regulation of skilled nursing facilities in the Commonwealth. |
