Pennsylvania Act 2024-96 — HEALTH CARE FACILITIES ACT - CONSUMER PROTECTIONS AND ABROGATING A REGULATION

Act text

Session of 2024

No. 2024-96

HB 155

AN ACT

Amending the act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), entitled "An act relating to health care; prescribing the powers and duties of the Department of Health; establishing and providing the powers and duties of the State Health Coordinating Council, health systems agencies and Health Care Policy Board in the Department of Health, and State Health Facility Hearing Board in the Department of Justice; providing for certification of need of health care providers and prescribing penalties," in licensing of health care facilities, further providing for consumer protections; and abrogating a regulation.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 806.3(b)(7) of the act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known as the Health Care Facilities Act, is amended to read:

Section 806.3. Consumer protections.

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(b) Information to be provided.--Each consumer or the consumer's legal representative or responsible family member shall receive an information packet from the home care agency or home care registry prior to the commencement of services which includes the following in a form that is able to be easily understood and read:

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(7) Documentation from the home care agency or a home care registry that demonstrates personal face-to-face interviews with all employees from a home care agency or independent contractors referred by the home care registry and documentation of at least two satisfactory reference checks prior to referral to the consumer. The face-to-face requirement of this paragraph may be fulfilled through the use of two-way video remote technology.

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Section 2. The provisions of 28 Pa. Code § 611.51(a)(1) are abrogated to the extent of any inconsistency with this act.

Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

APPROVED--The 16th day of October, A.D. 2024.

JOSH SHAPIRO