The bill, known as Mason's Law, establishes regulations for pediatric palliative care centers (PPCCs) in Iowa. It defines a hospice patient as either an individual diagnosed as terminally ill with a life expectancy of one year or less, or a person under 21 years of age with a chronic, complex, life-threatening illness who is not expected to survive past 21. The bill introduces the definition of a PPCC as a residential care facility that exclusively serves these young patients and provides respite care and hospice services. Additionally, it allows PPCCs to provide care for individuals requiring nonemergency nursing services, which is typically restricted for residential care facilities.

The bill mandates the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt rules for PPCCs, ensuring they meet specific requirements, such as not serving more than twelve hospice patients at a time and having nursing staff available at all times. It also outlines provisions for family involvement and the management of medications brought by patients. Furthermore, PPCCs are eligible for various funding sources available to licensed residential care facilities and hospice programs. The bill amends existing laws to accommodate these new provisions and ensure that PPCCs can operate effectively within the healthcare system.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 10A.713, 135J.1, 135C.1