South Carolina General Assembly
113th Session, 1999-2000

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Bill 95


                    Current Status

Bill Number:                      95
Ratification Number:              263
Act Number:                       248
Type of Legislation:              General Bill GB
Introducing Body:                 Senate
Introduced Date:                  19990112
Primary Sponsor:                  Giese
All Sponsors:                     Giese, Elliott
Drafted Document Number:          l:\council\bills\psd\7025ac99.doc
Date Bill Passed both Bodies:     20000411
Date of Last Amendment:           20000330
Governor's Action:                S
Date of Governor's Action:        20000501
Subject:                          Hospice facility, regulation by Health 
                                  and Environmental Control Department; Medical, 
                                  Patients, Hospitals


                        History

Body    Date      Action Description                     Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  ______________________________________ _______ ____________
------  20000516  Act No. A248
------  20000501  Signed by Governor
------  20000426  Ratified R263
Senate  20000411  Concurred in House amendment, 
                  enrolled for ratification
House   20000405  Read third time, returned to Senate
                  with amendment
House   20000404  Debate adjourned until
                  Wednesday, 20000405
House   20000330  Amended, read second time
House   20000329  Committee report: Favorable            27 H3M
                  with amendment
House   19990603  Introduced, read first time,           27 H3M
                  referred to Committee
Senate  19990603  Read third time, sent to House
Senate  19990602  Read second time, unanimous
                  consent for third reading on 
                  Thursday, 19990603
Senate  19990602  Committee amendment adopted
Senate  19990527  Committee report: Favorable with       13 SMA
                  amendment
Senate  19990112  Introduced, read first time,           13 SMA
                  referred to Committee
Senate  19981118  Prefiled, referred to Committee        13 SMA


              Versions of This Bill
Revised on May 27, 1999 - Word format
Revised on June 2, 1999 - Word format
Revised on March 29, 2000 - Word format
Revised on March 30, 2000 - Word format

View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A248, R263, S95)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 44-71-65 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A HOSPICE FACILITY IS SUBJECT TO REGULATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL PURSUANT TO TITLE 44, CHAPTER 71 AND THAT SUCH FACILITIES ARE NOT SUBJECT TO REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO THE LICENSURE AND REGULATION OF NURSING HOMES OR COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL CARE FACILITIES; TO ADD SECTION 44-71-95 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A HEALTH CARE FACILITY IS NOT PROHIBITED FROM PROVIDING HOSPICE SERVICES THROUGH CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS WITH A LICENSED HOSPICE ORGANIZATION; TO AMEND SECTION 44-7-130, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS IN THE STATE CERTIFICATION OF NEED AND HEALTH FACILITY LICENSURE ACT, SO AS TO INCLUDE HOSPICE FACILITIES IN THE DEFINITION OF A HEALTH CARE FACILITY; TO AMEND SECTION 44-71-20, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS FOR THE LICENSURE OF HOSPICE PROGRAMS, SO AS TO CLARIFY THE SCOPE OF INPATIENT HOSPICE SERVICES AND TO DEFINE HOSPICE FACILITIES; AND TO AMEND SECTION 44-71-60, RELATING TO THE PROMULGATION OF REGULATIONS FOR HOSPICE PROGRAMS, SO AS TO INCLUDE REGULATIONS FOR HOSPICE FACILITIES.

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

Hospice facilities subject to certain regulations

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 44-71-65. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a hospice facility must comply with the regulations promulgated by the department pursuant to this chapter and is not subject to regulations pertaining to the licensure and regulation of nursing homes or community residential care facilities."

Health care facility not prohibited from providing hospice services

SECTION 2. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 44-71-95. Nothing in this chapter may be construed to prohibit a health care facility from providing hospice services through contractual arrangements with a licensed hospice operation."

Definition

SECTION 3. Section 44-7-130(10) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 303 of 1998, is further amended to read:

"(10) 'Health care facility' means acute care hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, alcohol and substance abuse hospitals, methadone treatment facilities, tuberculosis hospitals, nursing homes, ambulatory surgical facilities, hospice facilities, rehabilitation facilities, residential treatment facilities for children and adolescents, habilitation centers for mentally retarded persons or persons with related conditions, and any other facility for which Certificate of Need review is required by federal law."

Definitions

SECTION 4. Section 44-71-20 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 44-71-20. As used in this chapter:

(1) 'Board' means the South Carolina Board of Health and Environmental Control.

(2) 'Department' means the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

(3) 'Hospice' means a centrally administered, interdisciplinary health care program. This program must provide a continuum of medically supervised palliative and supportive care for the terminally ill patient and the family including, but not limited to, outpatient and inpatient services provided directly or through written agreement. Inpatient services include, but are not limited to, services provided by a hospice in a licensed hospice facility.

Admission to a hospice program of care is based on the voluntary request of the hospice patient alone or in conjunction with designated family members.

(4) 'Hospice facility' means an institution, place, or building in which a licensed hospice provides room, board, and appropriate hospice services on a twenty-four hour basis to individuals requiring hospice care pursuant to the orders of a physician.

(5) 'Licensee' means the individual, corporation, or public entity with whom rests the ultimate responsibility for maintaining approved standards for the hospice or hospice facility."

Regulations to include hospice facilities

SECTION 5. Section 44-71-60 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 44-71-60. The department shall promulgate regulations which define needs, services, and standards for the care, treatment, health, safety, welfare, and comfort of patients and their families served by hospices and for the maintenance and operation of hospices, including hospice facilities, which will promote safe and adequate care and treatment of the patients and their families."

Time effective

SECTION 6. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 26th day of April, 2000.

Approved the 1st day of May, 2000.

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