Section 43: Health care facilities; additional charges as precondition for admission or continuance; penalty
Section 43. Whoever knowingly and willfully charges, solicits, accepts or receives, in addition to any amount otherwise required to be paid under this chapter, any gift, money, donation, or other consideration as a precondition or guarantee of admitting a recipient of services under this chapter whether or not presently certified or otherwise lawfully approved for long term care, to a hospital or nursing facility or to expedite the admission of such recipient or as a requirement for such recipient's continued stay in such a facility shall be punished by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars or by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than five years or in a jail or house of correction for not more than two and one-half years or by both such fine and imprisonment.