12/09/2021

Senate concurs with SB58 amendments, bill heads to Governor

During session yesterday, the Ohio Senate concurred with House amendments to SB58, which would allow nursing facility residents, their guardians or health care agents to request electronic monitoring in their private nursing facility rooms. As previously reported, the bill includes some guardrails including: 

• Requirements that residents use a facility-developed form to notify the facility of the electronic monitoring, so long as the facility creates such a form; 
• Clarification that a nursing facility is not responsible for any cost associated with the device beyond electricity, 
• Allowances for roommates to place conditions on the use of the electronic monitoring device in the case of shared rooms. 

The bill is set to take effect 90 days following signature, so likely in early March. This topic will be addressed in-depth by Janet Feldkamp of Benesch and LeadingAge Ohio Chief Policy Officer Susan Wallace on a January 12 All-Member call. To register for the webinar, click here. At that time, LeadingAge Ohio will share tools, including a sample/draft form to provide to families/guardians to request monitoring and sample policies for members’ use to comply with the new law. The Ohio Department of Health has yet to share what rules may be written or modified to provide surveyors guidance on the new law.