Bassi’s Bill to Raise Standards for Hospice Care Passes House

Springfield, IL (May 25, 2005) -- A bill sponsored by State Representative Suzie Bassi (R-Palatine) to raise the standard of care patients receive from hospice programs won the unanimous approval of the Illinois House today.

“Hospices provide end-of-life care for the elderly, disabled, and terminally ill,” said Bassi. “It is important to set standards for hospice licensure to ensure that every facility provides the highest quality of care for patients at this crucial time in their lives.”

Bassi said the new legislation aligns Illinois standards for hospice licensure with federally recognized standards of practice. The bill continues the state’s current two-tiered system of hospice licensure by allowing hospices to be licensed through the Department of Public Aid as a “comprehensive” hospice or a “volunteer” hospice.

Under the bill, newly established standards include:

• Informing patients and family members of the services provided by the hospice program and the services they are entitled to under their Medicare or Medicaid benefits;

• Notifying patients of the minimum services that the hospice program provides;

• Performing criminal background checks on medical and non-medical employees of the hospice;

• Including “volunteer” in the hospice name for a hospice under the volunteer tier of the system;

• Instituting a physician as the hospice program director; and

• Confirming that all hospice employees receive the appropriate governmental licenses and credentials for providing services to patients.

Bassi said the bill was an initiative of the Hospice of Northeastern Illinois in Barrington to establish a clearer definition of a hospice, higher standards of care, and enforcement and consequences aimed at unlicensed facilities.

“By increasing the criterion required by the state for hospice facility and service operation, we can improve the quality of care patients receive from hospice programs as well as protect our most vulnerable citizens from fraud, identity theft, and abuse,” said Bassi.

For more information, please contact Representative Bassi’s district office at 847-776-1880.