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A164, R190, S858
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Davis, Garrett, Kimbrell, Setzler and Malloy
Companion/Similar bill(s): 5226
Document Path: SR-0450KM23.docx
Introduced in the Senate on January 9, 2024
Introduced in the House on April 9, 2024
Last Amended on May 7, 2024
Currently residing in the Senate
Governor's Action: May 20, 2024, Signed
Summary: Hospital at Home
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
| Date | Body | Action Description with journal page number |
|---|---|---|
| 11/30/2023 | Senate | Prefiled |
| 11/30/2023 | Senate | Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs |
| 1/9/2024 | Senate | Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 61) |
| 1/9/2024 | Senate | Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs (Senate Journal-page 61) |
| 1/11/2024 | Scrivener's error corrected | |
| 4/4/2024 | Senate | Committee report: Favorable with amendment Medical Affairs (Senate Journal-page 4) |
| 4/4/2024 | Senate | Read second time (Senate Journal-page 26) |
| 4/4/2024 | Senate | Roll call Ayes-40 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 26) |
| 4/4/2024 | Senate | Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative day (Senate Journal-page 26) |
| 4/5/2024 | Senate | Read third time and sent to House (Senate Journal-page 1) |
| 4/9/2024 | House | Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 19) |
| 4/9/2024 | House | Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 19) |
| 4/25/2024 | House | Committee report: Favorable with amendment Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 23) |
| 5/2/2024 | House | Debate adjourned until Tues., 5-7-24 (House Journal-page 33) |
| 5/7/2024 | House | Amended (House Journal-page 111) |
| 5/7/2024 | House | Read second time (House Journal-page 111) |
| 5/7/2024 | House | Roll call Yeas-106 Nays-1 (House Journal-page 113) |
| 5/8/2024 | House | Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments (House Journal-page 298) |
| 5/9/2024 | Senate | Concurred in House amendment and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 23) |
| 5/9/2024 | Senate | Roll call Ayes-44 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 23) |
| 5/15/2024 | Ratified R 190 | |
| 5/20/2024 | Signed By Governor | |
| 5/29/2024 | Effective date 05/20/24 | |
| 5/29/2024 | Act No. 164 |
View the latest legislative information at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
11/30/2023
01/11/2024
04/04/2024
04/25/2024
05/07/2024
(A164, R190, S858)
AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 44-7-130, RELATING TO HEALTH CARE FACILITY LICENSURE DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO ADD A DEFINITION FOR "ACUTE HOSPITAL CARE AT HOME"; BY AMENDING SECTION 44-7-170, RELATING TO CERTIFICATE OF NEED PROGRAM EXEMPTIONS, SO AS TO EXEMPT ACUTE HOSPITAL CARE AT-HOME PROGRAMS AND SERVICES; BY ADDING SECTION 44-7-267 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL TO PROMULGATE REGULATIONS FOR LICENSING ACUTE HOSPITAL CARE AT HOME PROGRAMS AND SERVICES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 44-69-75, RELATING TO HOME HEALTH AGENCIES, SO AS TO MAKE TECHNICAL CHANGES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Definitions
SECTION 1. Section 44-7-130 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:
(25) "Acute hospital care at home" means acute-level hospital care to treat a subset of diagnoses that respond safely and effectively to home-based acute care, utilizing technology to provide continuous remote patient monitoring and connectivity to the patient and developing in-home services to ensure the same level of care in the home as in a traditional hospital stay as well as patient safety. Acute hospital care at home must be provided by a hospital licensed in this State pursuant to this article to eligible patients who have provided consent to such care, utilizing a multidisciplinary team to deliver the care.
Certificate of need exemptions
SECTION 2. Section 44-7-170(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:
(A) The following are exempt from Certificate of Need review:
(1) the relocation of a licensed hospital in the same county in which the hospital is currently located, as long as:
(a) any Certificate of Need issued to the hospital for a project to be located at the hospital's existing location has been fulfilled, withdrawn, or has expired in accordance with Section 44-7-230 and the department's implementing regulations; and
(b) the proposed site of relocation is utilized in a manner that furthers health care delivery and innovation for the citizens of the State of South Carolina;
(2) the purchase, merger, or otherwise the acquisition of an existing hospital by another person or health care facility;
(3) crisis stabilization unit facilities. Notwithstanding subsection (C), crisis stabilization unit facilities will not require a written exemption from the department;
(4) acute hospital care at-home programs and services delivered by a licensed acute care hospital. The delivery of acute hospital care at-home programs and services by a licensed acute care hospital does not require a written exemption from the department. Additionally, patients enrolled in the hospital care at-home program shall not be considered within the licensed bed capacity of the hospital participating in the program.
Regulations
SECTION 3. Article 3, Chapter 7, Title 44 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:
Section 44-7-267. The department shall promulgate regulations for licensing an acute care hospital's acute hospital care at-home programs and services. At a minimum, the regulations must address:
(1) diagnoses that respond safely and effectively to home-based acute care;
(2) patient eligibility criteria and screening requirements, including patient consent;
(3) multidisciplinary team requirements, including roles and responsibilities of team members;
(4) standards for continuous remote patient monitoring and connectivity with the patient;
(5) standards for the development of in-home services to ensure same level of care in the home as in a traditional hospital stay; and
(6) standards for patient safety.
Home health agencies
SECTION 4. Section 44-69-75 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:
Section 44-69-75. (A) A home health agency shall obtain a Certificate of Need before licensure. Procedures for applying for a certificate must be in accordance with the "State Certification of Need and Health Facility Licensure Act". No certificate is required for home health agencies providing home health services before July 1, 1980.
(B)(1) A continuing care retirement community licensed pursuant to Title 37, Chapter 11, may provide home health services and is exempt from subsection (A) if:
(a) the continuing care retirement community furnishes or offers to furnish home health services only to residents who reside in living units provided by the continuing care retirement community pursuant to a continuing care contract;
(b) the continuing care retirement community maintains a current license and meets applicable home health agency licensing standards;
(c) residents of the continuing care retirement community may choose to obtain home health services from other licensed home health agencies.
(2) Staff from other areas of the continuing care retirement community may deliver the home health services, but at no time may staffing levels in any area of the continuing care retirement community fall below minimum licensing standards or impair the services provided.
(3) If the continuing care retirement community includes charges for home health services in its base contract, it is prohibited from billing additional fees for those services. Continuing care retirement communities certified for Medicare or Medicaid, or both, must comply with governmental reimbursement requirements concerning charges for home health services.
(4) For purposes of this subsection "resident", "living unit", and "continuing care contract" have the same meanings as provided in Section 37-11-20.
(C) Subsection (B) applies only to multi-level continuing care retirement communities which incorporate a skilled nursing facility.
(D) The continuing care retirement community shall not bill in excess of its costs. These costs will be determined on nonfacility-based Medicare and/or Medicaid standards.
Time effective
SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Ratified the 15th day of May, 2024.
Approved the 20th day of May, 2024.
This web page was last updated on June 24, 2024 at 2:55 PM