Senate committee reports bill to codify hospice care plans after witness says documentation didn’t match care
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Summary
Senate Bill 273, which would codify hospice patient care‑plan requirements and family rights, was reported as amended after testimony from an advocate who said medical records showed IV hydration was recorded when it was not delivered; the committee adopted amendments and reported the bill.
Senate Bill 273 was presented April 1 to the Senate Health & Welfare Committee as a measure to codify several hospice care practices—patient care plans, family rights and documentation requirements—that sponsors say are already common policy but not uniformly contained in statute.
Sponsor Senator Abraham told the committee the bill aims to make existing standards uniform across the state and to add clarity where policy has not been codified. Legislative staff explained an amendment package (set 656) designed to align language with the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) procedures and to change the timeframe for a transferred patient’s plan of care from six to 24 hours.
Candace Alexander, an advocate and artist from Lake Charles, gave the committee a personal account she said reflects a broader pattern: a hospice patient admitted for IV hydration never received the hydration despite records later showing it had been given. "When care is documented but not delivered, that raises serious concerns," Alexander said, urging stronger accountability and verification of documentation.
The sponsor noted the bill is primarily a codification of current practice but said the measure would allow LDH to conduct complaint surveys that include review of facility care plans and require providers to issue plans of correction for deficiencies. He asked for the committee’s favorable report.
Senator Cloud recounted a personal family instance to underscore access issues—arguing some facilities lack the capability to deliver higher‑level oxygen therapy and suggesting related gaps might require additional legislation. LDH representatives and the Louisiana Nursing Home Association were present and noted they could provide information as needed.
The committee adopted the amendment set and reported SB 273 as amended by voice. No roll‑call tally was recorded in the transcript.
Next steps for the bill include departmental coordination on enforcement language and any technical fixes the sponsor and stakeholders propose as the bill moves to subsequent stages of the process.
