Assembly Bill 119 proposes the repeal of section 150.345 of the statutes, which currently governs the transfer of nursing home beds in Wisconsin. Under existing law, the Department of Health Services (DHS) oversees the licensing of nursing home beds and allows for the transfer of these beds between nursing homes under specific conditions, such as geographic proximity and ownership similarities. The bill seeks to eliminate this transfer process entirely, instead allowing closed nursing home beds to be redistributed according to established procedures.

With the repeal of the transfer provisions, the bill mandates that DHS will redistribute nursing home beds within a county if the number of available beds for individuals aged 65 and over falls below 80% of the statewide average, provided that the occupancy levels of existing nursing homes meet or exceed the statewide average. Additionally, DHS is required to publish an annual notice detailing the number of available beds in each health planning area, allowing nursing homes to apply for these beds. The bill emphasizes a structured approach to managing nursing home bed availability, focusing on equitable distribution based on community needs.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 150.345