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HB 917

Regards payment for terminal care facilities for the homeless

136th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Rachel Baker

Creates a terminal care facility for the homeless where only contracted hospice staff provide on-site care, with strict funding and safety rules.

Referred to committee
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Bill Summary · HB 917

Overview

House Bill 917 (136th General Assembly, Ohio) would amend Ohio Revised Code Section 3712.07 to address remuneration and operation of hospice-related services at a new type of facility: a terminal care facility for the homeless. The bill sets criteria for when hospice care programs can operate within such facilities, outlines restrictions on funding and support, and specifies on-site care and medication administration rules. It also repeals the existing version of Section 3712.07 and replaces it with the updated text.

Purpose and Intent

  • Create a framework for delivering hospice care to homeless individuals residing in a designated terminal care facility for the homeless.
  • Ensure that hospice services provided in this context are self-contained (limited to on-site personnel from the contracted hospice program), and that the facility meets strict eligibility and safety standards.
  • Limit financial arrangements to prevent the facility from receiving remuneration from residents or from Medicaid/Medicare, thereby delineating funding sources and ensuring appropriate care governance.

Key Provisions

  • Definition (A): “Terminal care facility for the homeless” is a facility that provides accommodations to homeless individuals who are terminally ill.
  • Eligibility for Hospice Agreement (B): A licensed hospice care program (a person or public agency) may contract with such a facility if all of the following conditions are met:
    1. Each resident has a physician-diagnosed terminal condition with an expected life expectancy of six months or less.
    2. No resident has a relative or person willing or financially capable of providing or paying for necessary care.
    3. Each resident is under the direct care of a physician.
    4. No resident requires staff to administer medication by injection.
    5. The facility does not receive remuneration from the residents, directly or indirectly.
    6. The facility does not receive remuneration from Medicaid or Medicare, directly or indirectly.
    7. The facility meets applicable state and federal health and safety standards (including fire prevention, safe/sanitary conditions, and proper food handling).
  • Service Provision (C): Hospice care program services may be provided on-site at the facility only by the personnel of the contracted hospice program.
  • Medication and Administration (D):
    • Residents may self-administer non-injected medications with physician-prescribed drugs.
    • In end-of-life situations where a resident in the final dying stages is no longer mentally alert, the facility may administer non-injected medications prescribed by a physician.
    • Determinations of “final stages of dying” and mental alertness are based on directions from the hospice care personnel on site.

Affected Parties

  • Residents: Homeless individuals residing in the terminal care facility who are terminally ill and meet the outlined criteria.
  • Hospice Care Programs: Licensed hospice providers that would enter into agreements to deliver on-site hospice services at the facility.
  • Terminal Care Facility for the Homeless: The facility itself, which must comply with the specified restrictions on remuneration and standards.
  • State Licensure/Regulatory Bodies: Responsible for enforcing licensing, safety, and health standards referenced in the bill.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • The bill would repeal the existing Section 3712.07 and replace it with the new text upon enactment.
  • The authorization for hospice services at such facilities is contingent on meeting all listed criteria prior to entering into an agreement.
  • Specific monitoring and determinations (e.g., when a resident has entered the final stages of dying and is no longer mentally alert) are governed by hospice personnel’s directions.

Practical Implications

  • Creates a specialized pathway to provide hospice care to homeless individuals who are terminally ill, distinct from traditional residential or long-term care facilities.
  • Tightens financial constraints by prohibiting remuneration from residents and from Medicaid/Medicare for the facility, potentially shifting how funding is arranged (through the hospice program) and requiring careful accounting and compliance.
  • Places emphasis on physician oversight, non-injectable medication administration, and strict safety standards to qualify for the program.

Note: This summary reflects the introduced text and described provisions. If amended, details may change prior to passage.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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