Hospice providers: licensed hospice facilities.

Under existing law, the State Department of Public Health licenses and regulates health facilities, including skilled nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, and congregate living health facilities. Under existing law, the department also licenses and regulates hospices and the provision of hospice services. Violation of these provisions is a crime. This bill would create a new health facility licensing category for, and would require the department to develop regulations governing licensure of, hospice facilities, as defined. It would impose various requirements on these facilities. Because this bill would create a new crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.