Bill > HB558

This bill establishes the Montana Nurse Corps Act, which creates a program designed to provide affordable home health care services to specific patient populations. The program allows licensed nurses in good standing to provide home visits to eligible individuals, which include Medicare or Medicaid patients, those enrolled in state medical assistance programs, or uninsured individuals with family incomes at or below 400% of the federal poverty level. Nurse corps members can charge a flat rate of $10 per patient contact and may submit charges to Medicare or Medicaid. The bill includes important protections for participating nurses, such as limiting their liability to cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct, and allows the nursing board to procure malpractice insurance for corps members, funded by a fee assessed on all licensed nurses. The primary goals of the program are to provide accessible outpatient care, help elderly or infirm patients remain in their homes longer, and offer home health care visits for patients who have difficulty traveling. The nursing board retains the authority to take disciplinary action and terminate a nurse's participation in the corps if necessary, and participation in the program is voluntary for licensed nurses who meet the eligibility requirements.

Business and Industry, Health and Social Services

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC3816