HB 479 - Health Care Facility Inspections Summary

• Changes nursing home inspections from every 15 months to at least one unannounced inspection every 4 months to determine compliance with standards for electricity, emergency power sources, care quality, and resident rights.

• Requires nursing homes to maintain adequate electrical equipment, a fully operational emergency power source, and fuel supply sufficient to sustain emergency power for at least 5 days during a power outage.

• Changes assisted living facility inspections from every 24 months to at least one unannounced inspection every 4 months, with compliance checks for construction, electricity, emergency power sources, care quality, and resident rights.

• Requires assisted living facilities to maintain adequate day-to-day electricity, a fully operational emergency power source, and fuel supply for at least 5 days, plus implement resident elopement prevention drills (minimum two per year).

• Effective date: July 1, 2018.