H 3221 General Bill, By Lourie, Altman, Bailey, Bales, Cotty and Clemmons
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 43-38-70 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE LONG TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM TO ANNUALLY
 PUBLISH A REPORT ON ALL COMPLAINTS RECEIVED ON LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES AND
 TO REQUIRE THE PROGRAM TO MAKE THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE DEPARTMENT OF
 HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES' WEB SITE.

   12/18/02  House  Prefiled
   12/18/02  House  Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs
   01/14/03  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-89
   01/14/03  House  Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs HJ-90
   02/04/03  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Cotty
   02/13/03  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Clemmons

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 43-38-70 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE LONG TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM TO ANNUALLY PUBLISH A REPORT ON ALL COMPLAINTS RECEIVED ON LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES AND TO REQUIRE THE PROGRAM TO MAKE THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES' WEB SITE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Chapter 38, Title 43 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 43-38-70.    (A)    The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program annually shall publish a report of all complaints received on long term care facilities by number and category of complaints received on each facility. The program must make the report available on the Department of Health and Human Services' web site. Patient or client identifying information must not be included in the report.

(B)    For purposes of this section, 'long term care facilities' means nursing homes and community residential care facilities."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.