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Bill would let some rural emergency hospitals convert up to 10 swing beds to skilled nursing beds
Summary
The Senate committee heard House Bill 2,249, which would authorize the secretary for Aging and Disability Services to grant physical-environment waivers allowing certain rural emergency hospitals to transition up to 10 swing beds to skilled nursing facility beds if specific historical licensure and service conditions are met.
House Bill 2,249 would allow certain rural emergency hospitals to convert some inpatient capacity into skilled nursing facility beds through a physical-environment waiver from the Secretary of Aging and Disability Services, Revisor Jenna told the Senate committee.
Jenna said the bill mirrors a Senate measure (SB 82) previously considered and would permit an existing facility licensed as a rural emergency hospital to transition up to 10 swing beds into skilled nursing facility beds if the facility: was licensed as a hospital before becoming a rural emergency hospital; provided skilled nursing facility services or critical access hospital swing-bed services for at least one year during its prior hospital licensure without a finding of immediate jeopardy; and obtained Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) certification for Title XVIII/XIX services where relevant. Jenna said the bill would take effect July 1 after publication in the statute book and that there were no committee amendments; the House passed it 120-0-2.
Kylie Childs, director of government affairs for LeadingAge Kansas, told the committee long-term-care capacity has declined, saying Representative Beeler reported a “net loss of over 1,700 beds” in the long-term care sector. Childs said maintaining both long-term and short-term skilled nursing services in rural communities is important and that the bill would help maintain skilled nursing capacity as facilities convert to rural emergency hospital status.
Tara Mays, representing the Arkansas Hospital Association, said the measure would help hospitals keep skilled nursing beds while they transition and “is one important step in the process to both being able to become rural emergency hospitals and innovate and provide services in communities across the state.”
Lacey Hunter, commissioner of survey, certification and credentialing for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), testified neutrally and said the bill “clarifies our authority and responsibility to provide waivers” and that KDADS expects little physical impact on the agency. Hunter said KDADS was aware of only one rural emergency hospital that would be affected, and that the waiver would matter only if CMS also allowed the facility to be certified for Medicare/Medicaid services.
Why it matters: Supporters said the change would help preserve skilled nursing capacity in rural areas as hospitals adopt the rural emergency hospital model; KDADS noted few facilities would be affected and that CMS certification would be required for some transitions.
