HB 5774 Summary

• Establishes licensing requirements for home care agencies providing skilled home health services or personal care services, with phased implementation beginning January 1, 2014 for health services and January 1, 2015 for personal care services.

• Creates the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs as the licensing authority and establishes a home care agency cash fund to support licensure administration and consumer education.

• Requires home care agencies to meet minimum standards including background checks, liability insurance or surety bonds, staff training and qualifications, and inspection by the department.

• Provides for provisional licenses (90 days), license renewal on an annual basis, and intermediate enforcement remedies including corrective action plans, monitoring, fines up to $10,000 per year, and potential license suspension or revocation.

• Exempts certain entities from home care agency licensing including individual independent providers, housekeeping-only services, licensed dialysis centers providing in-home services, and other health facilities or agencies already licensed under different provisions.