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



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



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



Licensing shall be required annually for the
first two years of licensure.  Thereafter, licensing shall be required
biennially; provided that if the department of health receives a complaint
regarding the hospice service agency from the time of the last licensure, the
licensing shall be required annually until such time as the department is
satisfied that licensing may proceed biennially.



(b)  For the purpose of this section:



"Hospice service" means a program of
palliative and supportive care for terminally ill persons and their families or
caregivers.



"Hospice service agency" means an
agency or organization, or a subdivision of that agency or organization, which
is engaged in providing hospice services at the place of residence of its
clients. [L 1999, c 77, §3]