Sec. 4. (a) "Hospice program" means a specialized form of interdisciplinary health care provided in Indiana that is designed to alleviate the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual discomforts of an individual who is experiencing the last phase of a terminal illness or disease and that:

(1) uses an interdisciplinary team that is under the direction of a physician licensed under IC 25-22.5 to provide a program of planned and continual care for terminally ill patients and their families, including:

(A) participation in the establishment of the plan of care;

(B) provision or supervision of hospice services;

(C) periodic review and updating of the plan of care for each hospice program patient; and

(D) establishment of policies governing the day to day provision of hospice services;

(2) must provide a continuum of care, including twenty-four (24) hour availability of:

(A) nursing services, physician services, drugs, and biologicals;

(B) other services necessary for care that is reasonable and necessary for palliation and management of terminal illnesses and related conditions; and

(C) bereavement counseling;

in a manner consistent with accepted standards of practice; and

(3) meets the minimum standards for certification under the Medicare program (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) and complies with the regulations for hospices under 42 CFR 418.1 et seq.

(b) The term includes inpatient services provided by a hospice in compliance with 42 CFR 418.1 et seq.

(c) The term does not include services provided by a hospital, a health facility, an ambulatory outpatient surgical center, or a home health agency unless the entity has a distinct hospice program.

As added by P.L.256-1999, SEC.12. Amended by P.L.58-2000, SEC.3.