HB 990 -- Long-Term Care

Sponsor:  Harlan

This bill addresses several issues relating to long-term care.
The Division of Aging is required to establish an informal
dispute resolution program as a pilot project in one area of the
state.  The pilot program must allow personal conferences, if
requested, between staff of the division and persons who have
made a complaint concerning a long-term care facility.  In
addition, the bill:

(1)  Requires long-term care facilities to display in a public
place a listing of the planned menu items and those items that
were served during the previous 7 days;

(2)  Requires the Division of Aging to implement by July 1,
2004, a Medicaid reimbursement schedule that is based on the
level of services provided to long-term care residents; and

(3)  Requires the Division of Aging to maintain records of any
third-party contact during an inspection, a survey, or a
complaint investigation of a long-term care facility.  Third--
party contact does not include the resident, a representative of
the resident, employees of the division, or employees or counsel
of the facility.