(a) As used in this section, a “facility” means a chronic disease hospital which is a long-term hospital having facilities, medical staff and all necessary personnel for the diagnosis, care and treatment of chronic diseases.

(b) A facility shall not transfer or discharge a patient from the facility except for medical reasons, or for the patient's welfare or the welfare of other patients, as documented in the patient's medical record; or, in the case of a self pay patient, for nonpayment or arrearage of more than fifteen days of the per diem chronic disease hospital room rates for the patient's stay, except as prohibited by the Social Security Act. In the case of an involuntary transfer or discharge, the patient and, if known, the patient's legally liable relative, guardian or conservator and the patient's personal physician, if the discharge plan is prepared by the medical director of the chronic disease hospital, shall be given at least thirty days' written notice of the proposed action to ensure orderly transfer or discharge.

(P.A. 89-348, S. 3, 10; P.A. 95-257, S. 39, 58; P.A. 07-149, S. 2; P.A. 08-184, S. 26.)

History: P.A. 95-257 replaced Commission on Hospitals and Health Care with Office of Health Care Access, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 07-149 amended Subsec. (b) by making technical changes and deleting language re approval of hospital room rates by Office of Health Care Access, effective July 1, 2007; P.A. 08-184 made a technical change in Subsec. (b).