Kentucky lawmakers recently passed a piece of legislation allowing continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) in the state to provide home health services.
House Bill 388 permits the services, amends KRS 216B.020 to exempt CCRCs providing these services from requiring a certificate of need, and repeals KRS 216B.335, a limitation on establishing nursing home beds.
The legislation was introduced in the House in February and passed two different votes upon third reading nearly unanimously before being signed by the Speaker of the House on March 28.
It requires communities to disclose in writing to each of its residents that the health facilities and services operated by the CCRCs will not apply for or become certified to participate in the Medicaid program, and that Medicaid reimbursement can’t be claimed for any person or any health service provided in the community.
The bill allows CCRCs to establish one nursing home bed for every four living units it operates, and requires residents for nursing homes beds to be assessed using an assessment instrument approved by the Health Care Financing Administration or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Other features of the bill include requirements for admission to or discharge from the skilled nursing section of a CCRC along with further qualifications amending a previous bill’s requirement for certificates of need.
The second draft of the legislation can be viewed in its entirety here.
Written by Alyssa Gerace
