SB0026eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0026 Engrossed LRB094 03673 DRJ 33678 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

WHEREAS, The General Assembly intends to provide one standard definition of "hospice" by establishing minimum standards for all providers of hospice care in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The General Assembly does not intend to force any volunteer hospice program out of business but instead intends to bring such programs into compliance with certain minimum standards applicable to all providers of hospice care in Illinois; therefore

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Hospice Program Licensing Act is amended by changing Sections 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9 and by adding Section 8.5 as follows:

(210 ILCS 60/3) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 6103)

Sec. 3. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Bereavement" means the period of time during which the hospice patient's family experiences and adjusts to the death of the hospice patient.

(b) "Department" means the Illinois Department of Public Health.

(c) "Director" means the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health.

(d) "Hospice Full hospice" means a coordinated program of palliative care that provides for the physical, emotional, and spiritual care needs of a terminally ill patient and his or her family. The goal of such care is to achieve the highest quality of life as defined by the patient and his or her family through the relief of suffering and control of symptoms. home and inpatient care providing directly, or through agreement, palliative and supportive medical, health and other services to terminally ill patients and their families. A full hospice utilizes a medically directed interdisciplinary hospice care team of professionals and volunteers. The program provides care to meet the physical, psychological, social, spiritual and other special needs which are experienced during the final stages of illness and during dying and bereavement. Home care is to be provided on a part-time, intermittent, regularly scheduled basis, and on an on-call around-the-clock basis according to patient and family need. To the maximum extent possible, care shall be furnished in the patient's home. Should in-patient care be required, services are to be provided with the intent of minimizing the length of such care and shall only be provided in a hospital licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act, or a skilled nursing facility licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act.

(e) "Hospice care team" means an interdisciplinary working unit composed of but not limited to a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, a nurse licensed pursuant to the Nursing and Advanced Practice Nursing Act, a social worker, a pastoral or other counselor, and trained volunteers. The patient and the patient's family are considered members of the hospice care team when development or revision of the patient's plan of care takes place.

(f) "Hospice patient" means a terminally ill person receiving hospice services.

(g) "Hospice patient's family" means a hospice patient's immediate family consisting of a spouse, sibling, child, parent and those individuals designated as such by the patient for the purposes of this Act.

(g-1) "Hospice residence" means a home, apartment building, or similar building providing living quarters:

(1) that is owned or operated by a person licensed to operate as a full hospice; and

(2) at which hospice services are provided to facility residents.

A building that is licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act or the Nursing Home Care Act is not a hospice residence.

(h) "Hospice services" means palliative and supportive care provided to a hospice patient and his or her family to meet the special need arising out of the physical, emotional, spiritual and social stresses which are experienced during the final stages of illness and during dying and bereavement. Services provided to the terminally ill patient shall be furnished, to the maximum extent possible, in the patient's home. Should inpatient care be required, services are to be provided with the intent of minimizing the length of such care.

(i) "Palliative care" means the management of pain and other distressing symptoms that incorporates medical, nursing, psychosocial, and spiritual care according to the needs, values, beliefs, and culture or cultures of the patient and his or her family. The evaluation and treatment is patient-centered, with a focus on the central role of the family unit in decision-making. treatment to provide for the reduction or abatement of pain and other troubling symptoms, rather than treatment aimed at investigation and intervention for the purpose of cure or inappropriate prolongation of life.

(j) "Hospice service plan" means a plan detailing the specific hospice services offered by a full or volunteer hospice, and the administrative and direct care personnel responsible for those services. The plan shall include but not be limited to:

(1) Identification of the person or persons administratively responsible for the program.

(2) The estimated average monthly patient census.

(3) The proposed geographic area the hospice will serve.

(4) A listing of those hospice services provided directly by the hospice, and those hospice services provided indirectly through a contractual agreement.

(5) The name and qualifications of those persons or entities under contract to provide indirect hospice services.

(6) The name and qualifications of those persons providing direct hospice services, with the exception of volunteers.

(7) A description of how the hospice plans to utilize volunteers in the provision of hospice services.

(8) A description of the program's record keeping system.

(k) "Terminally ill" means a medical prognosis by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches that a patient has an anticipated life expectancy of one year or less.

(l) "Volunteer" means a person who offers his or her services to a hospice without compensation. Reimbursement for a volunteer's expenses in providing hospice service shall not be considered compensation.

(m) "Volunteer hospice" means a program which provides hospice services to patients regardless of their ability to pay, with emphasis on the utilization of volunteers to provide services, under the administration of a not-for-profit agency. This definition does not prohibit the employment of staff.

(Source: P.A. 93-319, eff. 7-23-03.)

(210 ILCS 60/4) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 6104)

Sec. 4. License.

(a) No person shall establish, conduct or maintain a full or volunteer hospice without first obtaining a license from the Department. A hospice residence may be operated only at the locations listed on the license. A full hospice owning or operating a hospice residence is not subject to the provisions of the Nursing Home Care Act in owning or operating a hospice residence.

(b) No public or private agency shall advertise or present itself to the public as a full or volunteer hospice which provides hospice services without meeting the provisions of subsection (a).

(c) The license shall be valid only in the possession of the hospice to which it was originally issued and shall not be transferred or assigned to any other person, agency, or corporation.

(d) The license shall be renewed annually.

(e) The license shall be displayed in a conspicuous place inside the hospice program office.

(Source: P.A. 93-319, eff. 7-23-03.)

(210 ILCS 60/5) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 6105)

Sec. 5. Application for License. An application for license or renewal thereof to operate as a full or volunteer hospice shall be made to the Department upon forms provided by it, and shall contain information reasonably required by the Department, taking into consideration the different categories of hospice programs. The application shall be accompanied by:

(1) The hospice service plan;

(2) A financial statement containing information deemed appropriate by the Department for the category of the applicant; and

(3) A uniform license fee determined by the Department based on the hospice program's category.

(Source: P.A. 84-427.)

(210 ILCS 60/8) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 6108)

Sec. 8. General Requirements for Full Hospices. Hospices Full hospices shall comply with the following requirements of this Act, including the standards adopted by the Department under Section 9.

(a) The hospice program's services shall include physician services, nursing services, medical social services, counseling, and volunteer services. These services shall be coordinated with those of the hospice patient's primary or attending physician.

(b) The hospice program shall coordinate its services with professional and nonprofessional services already in the community. The program may contract out for elements of its services; however, direct patient contact and overall coordination of hospice services shall be maintained by the hospice care team. Any contract entered into between a hospice and a health care facility or service provider shall specify that the hospice retain the responsibility for planning and coordinating hospice services and care on behalf of a hospice patient and his family. All contracts shall be in compliance with this Act. No hospice which contracts for any hospice service shall charge fees for services provided directly by the hospice care team which duplicate contractual services provided to the individual patient or his family.

(c) The hospice care team shall be responsible for the coordination of home and inpatient care.

(d) The hospice program shall have a medical director who shall be a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches. The medical director shall have overall responsibility for medical direction of the care and treatment of patients and their families rendered by the hospice care team, and shall consult and cooperate with the patient's attending physician.

(e) The hospice program shall have a bereavement program which shall provide a continuum of supportive services for the family.

(f) The hospice program shall foster independence of the patient and his family by providing training, encouragement and support so that the patient and family can care for themselves as much as possible.

(g) The hospice program shall not impose the dictates of any value or belief system on its patients and their families.

(h) The hospice program shall clearly define its admission criteria. Decisions on admissions shall be made by a hospice care team and shall be dependent upon the expressed request and informed consent of the patient or the patient's legal guardian.

(i) The hospice program shall keep accurate, current and confidential records on all hospice patients and their families.

(j) The hospice program shall utilize the services of trained volunteers.

(k) The hospice program shall consist of both home care and inpatient care which incorporates the following characteristics:

(1) The home care component shall be the primary form of care, and shall be available on a part-time, intermittent, regularly scheduled basis and on an on-call around-the-clock basis, according to patient and family need.

(2) The inpatient component shall primarily be used only for short-term stays. If possible, inpatient care should closely approximate a home-like environment, and provide overnight family visitation within the facility.

(Source: P.A. 83-457.)

(210 ILCS 60/8.5 new)

Sec. 8.5. Volunteer hospice. The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly do not apply to a volunteer hospice until July 1, 2006.

(210 ILCS 60/9) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 6109)

Sec. 9. Standards. The Department shall prescribe, by regulation, minimum standards for licensed hospice programs.

(a) (Blank). The standards for full hospices shall include but not be limited to:

(1) Compliance with the requirements in Section 8.

(2) The number and qualifications of persons providing direct hospice services.

(3) The qualifications of those persons contracted with to provide indirect hospice services.

(4) The palliative and supportive care and bereavement counseling provided to a hospice patient and his family.

(5) Hospice services provided on an inpatient basis.

(6) Utilization review of patient care.

(7) The quality of care provided to patients.

(8) Procedures for the accurate and centralized maintenance of records on hospice services provided to patients and their families.

(9) The use of volunteers in the hospice program, and the training of those volunteers.

(10) The rights of the patient and the patient's family.

(b) The standards for volunteer hospice programs shall include but not be limited to:

(1) The direct and indirect services provided by the hospice, including the qualifications of personnel providing medical care.

(2) Quality review of the services provided by the hospice program.

(3) Procedures for the accurate and centralized maintenance of records on hospice services provided to patients and their families.

(4) The rights of the patient and the patient's family.

(5) The use of volunteers in the hospice program.

(6) The disclosure to the patients of the range of hospice services provided and not provided by the hospice program.

This subsection (b) is inoperative after June 30, 2006.

(c) The standards for hospices owning or operating hospice residences shall address the following:

(1) The safety, cleanliness, and general adequacy of the premises, including provision for maintenance of fire and health standards that conform to State laws and municipal codes, to provide for the physical comfort, well-being, care, and protection of the residents.

(2) Provisions and criteria for admission, discharge, and transfer of residents.

(3) Fee and other contractual agreements with residents.

(4) Medical and supportive services for residents.

(5) Maintenance of records and residents' right of access of those records.

(6) Procedures for reporting abuse or neglect of residents.

(7) The number of persons who may be served in a residence, which shall not exceed 16 persons per location.

(8) The ownership, operation, and maintenance of buildings containing a hospice residence.

(9) The number of licensed hospice residences shall not exceed 6 before December 31, 1996 and shall not exceed 12 before December 31, 1997. The Department shall conduct a study of the benefits of hospice residences and make a recommendation to the General Assembly as to the need to limit the number of hospice residences after June 30, 1997.

(d) A hospice program must meet the minimum standards for certification under the Medicare program and set forth in the Conditions of Participation under 42 CFR Part 418. In developing the standards for hospices, the Department shall take into consideration the category of the hospice programs.

(Source: P.A. 89-278, eff. 8-10-95.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2005.