Amendment #294 to H4200

Long-Term Care Facility Quality Improvement Fund

Ms. Garlick of Needham moves to amend the bill by adding the following section:-

SECTION XX. Chapter 29 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 2RRRR the following new section:

Section 2SSSS. There shall be established and set upon the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the Long-Term Care Facility Quality Improvement Fund, to be expended without prior appropriation by the department of public health. Unless a greater amount is authorized by law, the fund shall consist of revenue generated from fines and penalties imposed by the department on licensed nursing homes and rest homes after July 1, 2016, and any appropriations, grants, gifts or other monies authorized by the general court or other parties to be credited to the fund.

The commissioner of public health or a designee shall administer the fund and shall make expenditures from the fund for measures to improve the safety and quality of long-term care provided in long-term care facilities, including nursing homes and rest homes, including but not limited to the following: (i) staff training and education; (ii) technical assistance; (iii) dissemination of best practice models on quality of care; (iv) state operation of facilities pending correction of deficiencies or closure; and (v) costs of relocating residents from one facility to another.

The department may incur expenses and the comptroller may certify for payment, amounts in anticipation of expected receipts; provided, however, that no expenditure shall be made from the fund that shall cause the fund to be in deficit at the close of a fiscal year. Monies deposited in the fund that are unexpended at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #294 to H4200

Long-Term Care Facility Quality Improvement Fund