SUMMARY OF BILL REPORTED
FROM COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 446 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Senator Darwin L. Booher
CONTENT
The bill would amend a provision of the Public Health Code that prohibits a hospital from providing extended care services in a swing bed if the hospital owns or operates a long-term care unit that has beds available. The bill would refer to beds available "at the time a patient requires admission for extended care services".
Federal law allows rural hospitals meeting prescribed criteria to provide extended care services through the use of "swing beds" (that is, to use hospital beds for services that otherwise would be provided in a nursing home). Under Michigan's Public Health Code, in order to provide such services, a hospital must apply to the Department of Community Health for a certificate of need (CON), have fewer than 100 licensed beds, and provide evidence that the hospital has had difficulty in placing patients in skilled nursing home beds during the preceding 12 months.
A hospital that is granted a CON for an extended care services program may not provide the services in a swing bed if the hospital owns or operates a hospital long-term care unit that has beds available. As noted above, the bill would refer to beds available "at the time a patient requires admission for extended care services".
MCL 333.22210 Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy
FISCAL IMPACT
While the bill could affect where an extended care patient would be placed, the decision to place is based on the patient's needs rather than the location of available beds. Therefore, the bill should have a minimal fiscal impact.
Date Completed: 1-30-14 Fiscal Analyst: Steve Angelotti
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.