FILED ON: 2/25/2014

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2017

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Fourteen

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An Act relative to reserving beds in nursing homes during certain leaves of absence.

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. Section 14A of chapter 118E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraphs:

In the event that a nursing facility resident who is a MassHealth recipient enters a hospital, the division shall pay to preserve his or her bed in the nursing facility for a period of up to and including 10 days per medical event. The division shall reimburse the nursing facility for the medical leave of absence, which shall include an observation stay in a hospital in excess of 24 hours.

In the event a MassHealth member is residing in a nursing facility and requests a nonmedical leave of absence, the division shall pay to preserve his or her bed in the facility for a period of up to and including 10 calendar days per year.