Conference committee narrows licensing language, directs HHS and providers to collaborate on adult residential care

A North Dakota legislative conference committee on 20-71 met to resolve differences over licensing and reimbursement language for assisted living, basic care and adult residential facilities and agreed to add explicit collaboration with providers while removing a statutory requirement that all those settings be consolidated "under one license."

The committee’s discussion centered on whether the Department of Health and Human Services should be directed to produce a report or study and on how licensing and payment models should be structured to reflect differences in acuity and provider size. Senator Hogan said the department should be delegated to build a model and recommended language that directs HHS to collaborate with providers rather than conducting another legislative study. "This is a really, really important bill," Hogan said, arguing the issue involves framing…