Researcher: MH Page 1 3/25/25
OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 6987
AN ACT CONCERNING CLOSURES AND EVACUATIONS OF
RESIDENTIAL CARE HOMES AND NURSING HOMES.
SUMMARY
This bill requires all Medicaid certified nursing facilities, Medicare
certified skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes, and residential care
homes to consider a resident’s closeness to family and known support
networks when, as required by existing law, they help residents find a
new appropriate placement when leaving or being transferred from the
facility (§ 1).
The bill instructs the social services and public health commissioners
and the state ombudsman to assemble a working group to look at
residential care home evacuation procedures and if residential care
homes should be required to take part in a mutual aid digital platform
that includes solutions for emergency management.
The bill also requires:
1. nursing homes and residential care homes to maintain insurance
coverage for the loss or damage of personal property under
certain conditions and
2. the public health commissioner to create and maintain a database
to accurately track bed availability in nursing homes and
residential care homes.
Lastly, the bill adds to the circumstances when nursing homes
generally must ignore their waiting list when admitting residents who
are transferring from another nursing home.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage, except when otherwise noted
below. 2025HB-06987-R000237-BA.DOCX
Researcher: MH Page 2 3/25/25
WORKING GROUP
The bill requires the social services and public health commissioners
and the state ombudsman to convene a working group to examine (1)
residential care home evacuation procedures and (2) if residential care
homes should be required to use a mutual aid digital platform that
supports the risk management needs of health care organizations, which
includes dedicated solutions for:
1. emergency management,
2. inspections,
3. testing and maintenance management, and
4. health care coalition and inspections management.
The working group must include at least two people representing
residential care homes and submit a report to the Aging, Human
Services, and Public Health committees, by January 1, 2026, that
contains the group’s findings and recommendations.
INSURANCE COVERAGE F OR LOST OR DAMAGED P ERSONAL
PROPERTY
Under the bill, all nursing homes and residential care homes must
maintain insurance coverage for the loss or damage of their residents’
personal property if it is a result of an evacuation or closure of the
facility. The bill does not specify a coverage amount, but it must be
sufficient to replace the residents’ property.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2025
DATABASE FOR TRACKIN G BED AVAILABILITY A T CERTAIN
FACILITIES
The bill requires the public health commissioner to develop and
maintain a database by January 1, 2026, that accurately tracks bed
availability in nursing homes and residential care homes. The database
must be accessible to these facilities or any entity that the commissioner
chooses. 2025HB-06987-R000237-BA.DOCX
Researcher: MH Page 3 3/25/25
WAITING LIST EXEMPTION
Existing law generally requires Medicaid-certified nursing homes to
(1) admit residents on a first-come, first-served basis, regardless of their
payment source and (2) keep waiting lists of and admit applicants in the
order they are received, with certain exceptions (e.g., under certain
conditions, when an applicant directly transfers from a home that is
closing).
Under the bill, a nursing home generally must disregard its waiting
list and admit an applicant who seeks to transfer from a nursing home
that (1) has filed a certificate of need (CON) request (but before the social
services commissioner makes a decision) and (2) has 10 residents or less,
if the social services and public health commissioners and the
ombudsman agree that the CON subject will have a significant impact
on that nursing home’s residents.
But under the bill, nursing homes are not required to admit these
applicants under certain circumstances, such as when the nursing home
determines that the applicant (1) does not have a payor source because
they have been denied Medicaid eligibility or (2) does not require a
nursing home level of care according to law. The same exceptions apply
under existing law for certain other transfers.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2025
COMMITTEE ACTION
Aging Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 14 Nay 0 (03/06/2025)