Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §326 is enacted to read:

§326.__Swing beds

The department shall adopt routine technical rules under Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A permitting nursing homes to:

1.__Designation of level of care.__Designate the level of care for a bed based on the level of care needed by the patient admitted for the bed; or

2.__Change in level of care.__Change the level of care for a bed without requiring a certificate of need.

SUMMARY

This bill requires the Department of Human Services to adopt rules permitting a nursing home to designate the level of care for a bed based on the level of care of the person admitted or to change the level of care for a bed without requiring a certificate of need.