This bill proposes an amendment to Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 144.562, subdivision 3, regarding licensing conditions for hospital swing beds.

Key Provisions:

1. The Commissioner of Health must approve swing bed licenses for hospitals that meet the eligibility and compliance criteria.
2. Eligibility Requirements:
   • Hospitals must meet eligibility criteria in subdivision 2.
   • Hospitals must comply with Medicare conditions of participation for swing beds under 42 CFR § 482.66.
3. Length of Stay Limitation:
   • Generally limits patient stays to 40 days or the duration of Medicare eligibility, unless extended by the Commissioner of Health in emergency situations.
   • Hospitals must document the need for an extension, such as the unavailability of nursing facility beds within 25 miles of the patient’s residence.
   • Requests for extension must be submitted at least 10 days before the end of the maximum length of stay.
4. Admission Restrictions:
   • Hospitals can only admit patients to swing beds if they were previously hospitalized in the facility or transferred directly from an acute care hospital.
5. Reporting Requirements:
   • Hospitals must submit annual reports detailing:
     • Number of patients readmitted within 60 days.
     • Charges for swing bed care, including services provided.
     • The number of beds used for transitional or subacute inpatient care.
   • Hospitals must also submit statistical data on swing bed utilization.
6. Exception for Cook County Hospitals:
   • Hospitals in Cook County that:
     1. Are designated as Critical Access Hospitals under Minnesota law (section 144.1483) and federal law (42 U.S.C. § 1395i-4), and
        
     2. Have an attached nursing home,
        
   • Are exempt from the length-of-stay and admission restrictions.
   • Their swing beds can provide nursing facility services without a prior hospital stay and are eligible for Medical Assistance reimbursement.

Summary:

The bill modifies the licensing rules for hospital swing beds, primarily ensuring stricter stay limits, admission policies, and reporting requirements for hospitals that use swing beds for transitional care. It exempts Cook County hospitals with attached nursing homes from these limitations, allowing them to provide long-term care without restrictions on prior hospitalization.