Current Status Introducing Body:House Bill Number:4093 Ratification Number:587 Act Number:474 Primary Sponsor:P. Harris Type of Legislation:GB Subject:Long-term care facilities, residents rights Companion Bill Number:1110 Date Bill Passed both Bodies:Jun 03, 1992 Computer Document Number:436/11962.AC Governor's Action:S Date of Governor's Action:Jun 23, 1992 Introduced Date:Jan 14, 1992 Date of Last Amendment:Apr 30, 1992 Last History Body:------ Last History Date:Jun 23, 1992 Last History Type:Act No. 474 Scope of Legislation:Statewide All Sponsors:P. Harris Waldrop Neilson Type of Legislation:General Bill
Bill Body Date Action Description CMN
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4093 ------ Jun 23, 1992 Act No. 474
4093 ------ Jun 23, 1992 Signed by Governor
4093 ------ Jun 04, 1992 Ratified R 587
4093 House Jun 03, 1992 Ordered enrolled for
ratification
4093 Senate Jun 02, 1992 Receded from its amendments
4093 House Jun 02, 1992 Non-concurrence in Senate
amendment
4093 House May 21, 1992 Debate adjourned until
Tuesday, May 26, 1992
4093 House May 19, 1992 Debate adjourned until
Wednesday, May 20, 1992
4093 House May 14, 1992 Debate adjourned on Senate
amendments until Tuesday, May
19, 1992
4093 Senate May 12, 1992 Read third time, returned to
House with amendment
4093 Senate Apr 30, 1992 Amended, read second time,
ordered to third reading with
notice of general amendments
4093 Senate Apr 28, 1992 Committee Report: Favorable 13
with amendment
4093 Senate Apr 06, 1992 Introduced, read first time, 13
referred to Committee
4093 House Apr 02, 1992 Read third time, sent to
Senate
4093 House Apr 01, 1992 Debate adjourned until
Thursday, April 2, 1992
4093 House Mar 31, 1992 Amended, read second time
4093 House Mar 24, 1992 Debate adjourned until
Tuesday, March 31, 1992
4093 House Mar 19, 1992 Debate adjourned until
Tuesday, March 24, 1992
4093 House Mar 04, 1992 Committee Report: Favorable 27
4093 House Jan 14, 1992 Introduced, read first time, 27
referred to Committee
View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
(A474, R587, H4093)
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 44-81-40, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE RIGHTS OF RESIDENTS IN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES, SO AS TO INCLUDE THE RIGHT TO BE INFORMED OF THE FACILITY'S REFUND POLICY WHICH A FACILITY MUST ADOPT, TO CHOOSE A PERSONAL PHYSICIAN AND RIGHTS ASSOCIATED WITH TREATMENT AND CARE, TO PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION TO THE THIRTY-DAY TRANSFER NOTICE REQUIREMENT, AND TO PROVIDE FOR FAMILY ACCESS TO THE RESIDENT AND THE RIGHT OF FAMILY TO MEET WITH OTHER FAMILIES AT SUCH FACILITIES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Patients' rights
SECTION 1. Section 44-81-40 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 44-81-40. (A) Each resident or the resident's representative must be given by the facility a written and oral explanation of the rights, grievance procedures, and enforcement provisions of this chapter before or at the time of admission to a long-term care facility. Written acknowledgment of the receipt of the explanation by the resident or the resident's representative must be made a part of the resident's file. Each facility must have posted written notices of the residents' rights in conspicuous locations in the facility. The written notices must be approved by the department. The notices must be in a type and a format which is easily readable by residents and must describe residents' rights, grievance procedures, and the enforcement provisions provided by this chapter.
(B) Each resident and the resident's representative must be informed in writing, before or at the time of admission, of:
(1) available services and of related charges, including all charges not covered under federal or state programs, by other third party payers, or by the facility's basic per diem rate;
(2) the facility's refund policy which must be adopted by each facility and which must be based upon the actual number of days a resident was in the facility and any reasonable number of bed-hold days.
Each resident and the resident's representative must be informed in writing of any subsequent change in services, charges, or refund policy.
(C) Each resident or the resident's legal guardian has the right to:
(1) choose a personal attending physician;
(2) participate in planning care and treatment or changes in care and treatment;
(3) be fully informed in advance about changes in care and treatment that may affect the resident's well-being;
(4) receive from the resident's physician a complete and current description of the resident's diagnosis and prognosis in terms that the resident is able to understand;
(5) refuse to participate in experimental research.
(D) A resident may be transferred or discharged only for medical reasons, for the welfare of the resident or for the welfare of other residents of the facility, or for nonpayment and must be given written notice of not less than thirty days, except that when the health, safety, or welfare of other residents of the facility would be endangered by the thirty-day notice requirement, the time for giving notice must be that which is practicable under the circumstances. Each resident must be given written notice before the resident's room or roommate in the facility is changed.
(E) Each resident or the resident's representative may manage the resident's personal finances unless the facility has been delegated in writing to carry out this responsibility, in which case the resident must be given a quarterly report of the resident's account.
(F) Each resident must be free from mental and physical abuse and free from chemical and physical restraints except those restraints ordered by a physician.
(G) Each resident must be assured security in storing personal possessions and confidential treatment of the resident's personal and medical records and may approve or refuse their release to any individual outside the facility, except in the case of a transfer to another health care institution or as required by law or a third party payment contract.
(H) Each resident must be treated with respect and dignity and assured privacy during treatment and when receiving personal care.
(I) Each resident must be assured that no resident will be required to perform services for the facility that are not for therapeutic purposes as identified in the plan of care for the resident.
(J) The legal guardian, family members, and other relatives of each resident must be allowed immediate access to that resident, subject to the resident's right to deny access or withdraw consent to access at any time. Each resident without unreasonable delay or restrictions must be allowed to associate and communicate privately with persons of the resident's choice and must be assured freedom and privacy in sending and receiving mail. The legal guardian, family members, and other relatives of each resident must be allowed to meet in the facility with the legal guardian, family members, and other relatives of other residents to discuss matters related to the facility, so long as the meeting does not disrupt resident care or safety.
(K) Each resident may meet with and participate in activities of social, religious, and community groups at the resident's discretion unless medically contraindicated by written medical order.
(L) Each resident must be able to keep and use personal clothing and possessions as space permits unless it infringes on another resident's rights.
(M) Each resident must be assured privacy for visits of a conjugal nature.
(N) Married residents must be permitted to share a room unless medically contraindicated by the attending physician in the medical record."
Time effective
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Approved the 23rd day of June, 1992.