1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to health; modifying the home care bill of 
  1.3             rights; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 
  1.4             144A.44, subdivision 2. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 144A.44, 
  1.7   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.8      Subd. 2.  [INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF RIGHTS.] These 
  1.9   rights are established for the benefit of persons who receive 
  1.10  home care services.  "Home care services" means home care 
  1.11  services as defined in section 144A.43, subdivision 3.  A home 
  1.12  care provider may not require a person to surrender these rights 
  1.13  as a condition of receiving services.  A guardian or conservator 
  1.14  or, when there is no guardian or conservator, a designated 
  1.15  person, may seek to enforce these rights.  This statement of 
  1.16  rights does not replace or diminish other rights and liberties 
  1.17  that may exist relative to persons receiving home care services, 
  1.18  persons providing home care services, or providers licensed 
  1.19  under Laws 1987, chapter 378.  A copy of these rights must be 
  1.20  provided to an individual at the time home care services are 
  1.21  initiated.  The copy shall also contain the address and phone 
  1.22  number of the office of health facility complaints and the 
  1.23  office of the ombudsman for older Minnesotans and a brief 
  1.24  statement describing how to file a complaint with that office 
  1.25  these offices.  Information about how to contact the office of 
  2.1   the ombudsman for older Minnesotans shall be included in notices 
  2.2   of change in service or clients' fees and in notices of transfer 
  2.3   or discrimination of services.