State Payment Hospice Providers Residential Care

The act authorizes a state payment to qualified hospice providers, as defined in the act, that provide hospice services in a licensed hospice facility to persons enrolled in the medical assistance program who are eligible for care in a nursing facility but who are unable to secure a bed in a nursing facility due to the presence of COVID-19 in the state or for other reasons described in the act. The eligible patient, as defined in the act, must have a hospice diagnosis.

To receive a payment, the qualified hospice provider must provide residential services to an eligible patient during the fourth quarter of the 2020-21 fiscal year or during the 2021-22 fiscal year. The state payment to a qualified hospice provider is limited to not more than 28 days for each eligible patient. The state payment is an amount equal to one-half of the statewide average per diem rate for nursing facilities.

The department of health care policy and financing shall administer the state payment and shall seek input from qualified hospice providers concerning the administration of the payment and the allocation of available appropriations.

For the 2020-21state fiscal year, the act appropriates $684,000 of general fund to the department of health care policy and financing to implement the act. Unexpended money is further appropriated for the 2021-22 state fiscal year for the same purpose.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)