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Bill

S 9620

Requires residential health care facilities to maintain hospice agreements to ensure access to hospice services for eligible residents

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jessica Scarcella-Spanton

Residential health care facilities must enter into and maintain formal hospice agreements with licensed hospice programs to ensure timely, coordinated access to hospice services fo

REFERRED TO HEALTH
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Bill Summary · S 9620

Summary of Bill S.9620 (2025-2026) – New York

Title

Requires residential health care facilities to maintain hospice agreements to ensure access to hospice services for eligible residents

Purpose and Intent

  • To ensure that residents in residential health care facilities have reliable access to hospice services when they are eligible and elect the hospice benefit.
  • Establish formal, ongoing written agreements between residential facilities and licensed hospice programs to coordinate end-of-life care.

Key Provisions

Mandatory hospice agreements

  • Each residential health care facility must enter into and maintain one or more written agreements with hospice programs licensed under Article 40 of the Public Health Law.
  • Agreements are required to ensure access to hospice services for eligible residents who elect the hospice benefit.

Required elements of agreements

Agreements must address at a minimum:
1. Timely hospice evaluation and referral
2. Roles and responsibilities of facility staff and hospice personnel
3. Interdisciplinary care planning and symptom management
4. Medication management and clinical oversight
5. After-hours communication and emergency response
6. Documentation and information sharing, in compliance with applicable law

Departmental support and enforcement

  • The Department of Health will provide guidance and technical assistance to facilities and hospice programs, including model contract provisions and best-practice recommendations.
  • Non-compliance with these requirements constitutes a violation and is subject to enforcement under the Public Health Law.
  • To implement the provisions, the Department may seek any federal approvals as necessary.

Regulatory timing and adjustments

  • The bill authorizes the Department to issue necessary rule or regulation changes to implement the provision, even prior to the act’s effective date.

Affected Entities

  • Residential health care facilities (e.g., skilled nursing facilities, assisted living settings with health care beds) in New York State.
  • Licensed hospice programs under Article 40 of the Public Health Law.
  • Department of Health (for guidance, coordination, and enforcement).

Timeline and Effective Date

  • Effective date: The act takes effect on the 100th day after it becomes law.
  • Immediate effect: The Department may issue necessary rules or regulations to implement the law on or before the effective date.

Enforceability and Compliance

  • Violations of the new subdivision standards are enforceable under the existing enforcement framework of the Public Health Law.
  • The bill emphasizes coordination, standardized processes, and information sharing to improve access to hospice services for eligible residents.

Practical Impact

  • For residents: Improved access to hospice services through established, timely evaluations, coordinated care, and clear communication between facilities and hospice providers.
  • For facilities: Clear requirements to enter into formal hospice agreements with defined roles, processes, and documentation expectations; potential for streamlined coordination of end-of-life care and symptom management.
  • For hospice providers: Defined collaboration framework with residential facilities to facilitate referrals, care planning, and after-hours responsiveness.

Notable Details

  • The bill includes explicit guidance production and best-practice recommendations from the Department of Health.
  • It provides a mechanism to obtain federal approvals if necessary to implement the provisions.

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

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