[§321-15.63]  Hospice services.  (a) The department of health may license hospice service agencies.  If thedepartment licenses hospice service agencies, the director shall adopt rules inaccordance with chapter 91 regarding hospice service agencies that shall:

(1)  Protect the health, safety, welfare, and civilrights of persons residing in their place of residence; and

(2)  Provide penalties for the failure to comply withany rule.

Licensing shall be required annually for thefirst two years of licensure.  Thereafter, licensing shall be requiredbiennially; provided that if the department of health receives a complaintregarding the hospice service agency from the time of the last licensure, thelicensing shall be required annually until such time as the department issatisfied that licensing may proceed biennially.

(b)  For the purpose of this section:

"Hospice service" means a program ofpalliative and supportive care for terminally ill persons and their families orcaregivers.

"Hospice service agency" means anagency or organization, or a subdivision of that agency or organization, whichis engaged in providing hospice services at the place of residence of itsclients. [L 1999, c 77, §3]