AB161

Existing law: (1) requires any program of hospice care, regardless of whether the program is provided by a facility for hospice care, to be licensed by the Division of Public and Behavioral Health of the Department of Health and Human Services; and (2) imposes certain requirements governing the operation of a program of hospice care. (NRS 449.029, 449.030, 449.196) Existing law requires a program of hospice care to provide certain care, and section 17 of this bill provides that a patient of a program of hospice care has a right to such care. (NRS 449.196) Sections 17 and 18 of this bill require a program of hospice care to inform a patient of that right. Section 15 of this bill removes provisions authorizing a facility for hospice care to provide certain care that the facility is required by existing law to provide. Section 14 of this bill requires a program of hospice care to obtain and document the informed, written consent of a patient or his or her representative for all treatment and all decisions regarding the care of the patient. Section 14 additionally requires a program of hospice care to: (1) notify a patient or his or her representative if the program has initiated filing claims for benefits on behalf of the patient; (2) provide a written notice containing the contact information for the program and the hours during which the program can be contacted; (3) notify a patient or his or her representative not less than 7 days before the program terminates the care of th