HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3373        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1241

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to improve discharge opportunities from acute care facilities.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

1/20/2023

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

3/4/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3373        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1241

By Representative Sabadosa of Northampton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1241) of Lindsay N. Sabadosa and James B. Eldridge for legislation to improve discharge opportunities from acute care facilities.  Health Care Financing.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act to improve discharge opportunities from acute care 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. Section 51 D of chapter 111 of the general laws as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended, by inserting after item 7 of the requirements for a discharge plan, the following:

No person shall be discharged from an acute care facility licensed pursuant to this chapter without a review of post-acute care options presented in writing to the patient or the patient’s representative, not less than twenty-four hours prior to discharge Said review of post-acute care options shall give the highest priority to returning the patient to his or her residence or community of record, with appropriate service, if needed. In any case, where it is not deemed possible, a responsible official of the acute care facility shall provide a written explanation and certify said explanation as true and correct, pursuant to the provisions of section 5A of chapter 12 of the general laws.

SECTION 2. Said section 51, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “Medicare,” wherever it appears, the following: “MassHealth, or private commercial insurance licensed in Massachusetts.”