BILL NO. 3

(as introduced)

1st Session, 59th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
52 Elizabeth II, 2003

Private Member's Bill

Homes for Special Care Act
(amended)

Darrell Dexter
Cole Harbour

First Reading: September 26, 2003

(Explanatory Notes)

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

This Bill ensures that residents of a nursing home or home for the aged or disabled are not billed for health-care costs and requires that per diem charges for room and board are based on the ability of the resident to pay those costs from income.

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 Chapter 203 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Homes for Special Care Act, as amended by Chapter 7 of the Acts of 1994-95, is further amended by adding immediately after Section 8 the following Section:

8A (1) A licensee of a nursing home or the operator of a home for the aged or disabled as defined in Section 14 shall only charge the fees set out in the regulations.

(2) The per diem fees and any other fees set out in the regulations shall be

(a) determined having regard to the best interests of the residents of the nursing home or home for the aged or disabled; and

(b) based on the ability of a resident of a nursing home or home for the aged or disabled to pay the fees from the resident's income.

(3) No per diem fee or other fee shall be charged for expenses of a resident of a nursing home or home for the aged or disabled, except for housing and food provided to the resident.

(4) No fee shall be charged to a resident of a nursing home or home for the aged or disabled for health care or personal care provided to the resident.

2 Clause 19(1)(m) of Chapter 203 is amended by adding "subject to Section 8A," immediately preceding "limiting" in the first line.