Requires medical evaluations for assisted living eligibility to be conducted within thirty days prior to the date of admission

• Democratic2

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Gustavo Rivera says this is needed

Currently, medical evaluations used to determine if an individual's health and safety needs can be met in an adult care facility including assisted living residences, adult homes, and enriched housing programs can be signed by either a physician, a physician assistant, or a nurse practitioner, except for the Medicaid-funded assisted living program (ALP). The ALP serves individuals who are medically eligible for nursing home care in a less intensive setting. Services include room and board, personal care, supervision, housekeeping, nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and adult day health care, among others. Before an operator admits an individual to an ALP, they need to assess that the program can properly meet the needs of the resident, which is done through a medical evaluation. While not a requirement in other types of adult care facilities serving seniors with similar needs and characteristics, the Department of Health (DOH) continues to mandate a physician's signature in order for the ALP medical evaluation form to be considered "complete." Adult care facilities, including those participating in the ALP, do not employ physicians, so it can be very difficult to find doctors to complete and sign these forms in a timely manner, especially given the existing healthcare workforce shortage. This burdensome requirement effectively delays services for low-income, vulnerable seniors who need ALP services, and increases costs for providers. Expanding the types of healthcare professionals who can sign these eval- uations is a commonsense measure that would go a long way in facilitat- ing and expediting access to care and in lowering costs for New York State seniors and the facilities that serve them.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.