Bill > S488

This bill requires medical directors in skilled nursing facilities to be certified by the American Board of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine or an equivalent organization, with a phased implementation timeline. Specifically, skilled nursing facilities cannot contract with a medical director who is not, or will not become within 5 years, a certified medical director, though existing medical directors employed as of January 1, 2027, will have until January 1, 2030, to obtain certification. The bill mandates that facilities submit detailed information about their medical directors to the Department of Public Health, including criminal background checks, resumes, and certification status, with updates required within 10 calendar days of any changes. Medical directors will have significant responsibilities, including implementing resident care policies, coordinating medical care, reporting potential harmful issues to the department, and providing bi-annual reports to resident and family councils. The bill also imposes a fine of at least $500 for individuals who falsely represent themselves as certified medical directors, with each day of such misrepresentation constituting a separate violation. The overall goal appears to be improving the quality of medical oversight and care in skilled nursing facilities by ensuring medical directors are professionally qualified and actively engaged in resident well-being.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S488