Bill > SB82

This bill requires the secretary for aging and disability services to grant physical environment waivers to certain rural emergency hospitals (REHs) that want to transition up to 10 swing beds to skilled nursing facility beds. To qualify, the rural emergency hospital must: 1) currently be licensed as an REH under the rural emergency hospital act, 2) have been previously licensed as a hospital before becoming an REH, and 3) have provided skilled nursing facility or critical access hospital swing bed services for at least one year without any findings of immediate jeopardy. The bill defines "critical access hospital" and "hospital" by referencing existing state statutes, and it will be implemented as part of the rural emergency hospital act. The purpose of this legislation appears to be helping rural hospitals maintain their ability to provide skilled nursing care by allowing them to convert a limited number of beds to skilled nursing facility beds while operating under the more flexible rural emergency hospital designation. The bill will take effect upon publication in the Kansas register.

Health and Social Services

Public Health and Welfare (Senate)

https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb82/