Senator Michelle Hinchey’s Bill to Enhance End-of-Life Care for Hospice Patients Signed into Law

ALBANY, NY – Today, State Senator Michelle Hinchey (S-46) announced that her bill to improve end-of-life care for patients in hospice residences was signed into law by the Governor. The legislation, S.5506-A/A.4594-A, permits hospice facilities to certify up to 100% of their beds to be used for general in-patient care where previously hospices could only dually certify up to 25% of their beds. This change will fundamentally enhance the quality of life of hospice patients by allowing them to receive medical services on-site and avoid being transferred to the hospital — which can be stressful and dangerous for medically-fragile individuals.

“Hospice facilities provide a safe and comfortable place for terminally ill patients to live out their final days but too often, that palliative care is interrupted by unnecessary and stressful hospital transfers, which can be harmful to a person’s declining health,” said bill sponsor Senator Michelle Hinchey. “By allowing hospices to utilize up to 100% of their beds for general in-patient care, we can help more New Yorkers receive the end-of-life services they need in a home-like setting. I am proud that this important bill has now been signed into law, and I will always fight to protect and expand access to the high-quality health care services New Yorkers deserve.” 

Assembly Health Committee Chair and bill sponsor Richard N. Gottfried, said, “Hospice care is most often provided in the patient’s home, but it can also be provided in a hospice residence. A hospice residence patient may, at times, need a higher level of clinical service, and is then referred to as an ‘inpatient’ in the residence. There is an artificial legal limit on what portion of a hospice residence’s patients may be inpatients at one time. This can require very disruptive and often harmful transfer of hospice patients to a hospital. This bill will humanely and sensibly repeal that limit.”

Jeanne Chirico, President and CEO of Hospice and Palliative Care Association of New York State (HPCANYS), said, “On behalf of all NYS Hospices, HPCANYS would like to extend our deepest appreciation to Senator Hinchey and Assemblyman Gottfried, for recognizing the need to remove an erroneous barrier to delivering needed care within hospice inpatient and residential facilities.”

Mike Kaminski, President and CEO, Hudson Valley Hospice, said, “Hudson Valley Hospice, and our community, are grateful to Senator Hinchey and Assemblyman Gottfried for ensuring that we can continue to care for patients in our new 14-bed inpatient hospice facility regardless of the State’s bed designation.”

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