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PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 440 PRINTER'S NO. 1801
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 482
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY LAUGHLIN, FONTANA, FARRY, J. WARD, MILLER AND
PICOZZI, MARCH 20, 2025
SENATOR LANGERHOLC, AGING AND YOUTH, AS AMENDED, JUNE 9, 2026
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in public assistance,
further providing for definitions, for administration of
assistance programs and for regulations for protection of
information; in the aged, further providing for Life Program;
and making a repeal.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 402 of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31,
No.21), known as the Human Services Code, is amended by adding
definitions to read:
Section 402. Definitions.--As used in this article, unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise:
* * *
"LIFE program" means as defined in section 602(d) .
* * *
"Older adult daily living center" means a premises operated
for profit or not for profit in which older adult daily living
services are simultaneously provided for four or more clients
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who are not relatives of the operator for part of a twenty-four-
hour day.
* * *
Section 2. Section 403.1(a)(1) of the act is amended to
read:
Section 403.1. Administration of Assistance Programs.--(a)
The department is authorized to establish rules, regulations,
procedures and standards consistent with law as to the
administration of programs providing assistance, including
regulations promulgated under subsection (d), that do any of the
following:
(1) Establish standards for determining eligibility and the
nature and extent of assistance. The following shall apply:
(i) Immediately after an applicant is referred for
Functional Eligibility Determination or has completed a PA 600
L, the department shall have the following duties:
(A) Provide information necessary to determine eligibility
for home-based and community-based programs to LIFE program
organizations and older adult daily living center programs in
accordance with section 404 and all applicable Federal laws.
(B) Ensure that the applicant receives information about the
requirements and eligibility for programs offered by LIFE
program organizations , INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS PROVIDED IN SECTION 602(A), and older
adult daily living center programs.
(ii) The department may not assign an applicant to an option
for Medicaid managed care until the applicant has received an
assessment for home-based and community-based services.
(iii) If an applicant fails to make a selection for Medicaid
managed care, the department shall proportionately assign
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applicants based on available placement options for which the
applicant is deemed eligible.
(iv) As used in this paragraph, the term "Medicaid managed
care" means services provided by a Medicaid managed care
organization as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 1396b(m)(1)(A) (relating
to payment to States) that is a party to a Medicaid managed care
contract with the department. The term shall not include a
behavioral health managed care organization that is a party to a
Medicaid managed care contract with the department.
* * *
Section 3. Section 404 of the act is amended by adding a
subsection to read:
Section 404. Regulations for Protection of Information.--* *
*
(a.1) The regulations for protection of information shall
permit the distribution of information to a LIFE program or
older adult daily living center program, for the purposes of
determining eligibility for home-based and community-based
services.
* * *
Section 4. Section 602(a), (b) and (c) of the act are
amended to read:
Section 602. LIFE Program.--(a) Informational materials and
department correspondence used by the department and the
Independent Enrollment Broker to educate or notify an eligible
individual about long-term care services and supports, including
[an] THE ELIGIBLE individual's rights, responsibilities and
choice of managed care organization to cover long-term care
services and supports, shall include the following:
(1) A description of the LIFE program[.], INCLUDING A LIST
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OF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS DEVELOPED WITH INPUT FROM LIFE
PROGRAM PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE CLARIFICATION ON SPECIFIC PROGRAM
BENEFITS AND REQUIREMENTS.
(2) A statement that [an] THE eligible individual has the
option to enroll in the LIFE program or a managed care
organization under the Community Health Choices Program.
(3) [Contact information for LIFE providers.] CONTACT
INFORMATION FOR THE ASSIGNED LIFE PROGRAM PROVIDER IN THE
ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL'S AREA OF RESIDENCE.
(4) A COMPARISON OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE COMMUNITY
HEALTH CHOICES PROGRAM AND BY THE LIFE PROGRAM.
(5) AN ATTESTATION FORM TO BE SIGNED BY THE ELIGIBLE
INDIVIDUAL INDICATING THE ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL'S UNDERSTANDING OF
THE SERVICES OFFERED BY THE LIFE PROGRAM. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL
ENGAGE LIFE PROGRAM PROVIDERS IN DEVELOPING THE LANGUAGE AND
CONTENT OF THE ATTESTATION FORM UNDER THIS PARAGRAPH.
(b) The department shall continue to provide training to the
Independent Enrollment Broker on the LIFE program through the
Independent Enrollment Broker LIFE module to better educate the
Independent Enrollment Broker and to require that the LIFE
program is offered equally to eligible individuals.
(c) At the end of each quarter, the department shall issue a
report [that tracks by county the enrollment of eligible
individuals in long-term care service programs, including
managed care organizations and LIFE programs.] to THE
CHAIRPERSON AND MINORITY CHAIRPERSON OF THE AGING AND YOUTH
COMMITTEE OF THE SENATE, THE CHAIRPERSON AND MINORITY
CHAIRPERSON OF THE AGING AND OLDER ADULT SERVICES COMMITTEE OF
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, the chairperson and minority
chairperson of the Health and Human Services Committee of the
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Senate and the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Human
Services Committee of the House of Representatives that tracks
by county the enrollment of eligible individuals in long-term
care service programs by the Independent Enrollment Broker,
including managed care organizations and LIFE programs. The
report shall also include documentation of compliance with
subsections (a) and (b).
* * *
Section 5. Repeals are as follows:
(1) The General Assembly declares that the repeal under
paragraph (2) is necessary to effectuate the amendment of
section 602(a), (b) and (c) of the act.
(2) Section 1604-T of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343,
No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, is repealed.
Section 6. The amendment of section 602(a), (b) and (c) of
the act is a continuation of section 1604-T of the act of April
9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code. Except as
otherwise provided in section 602(a), (b) and (c) of the act,
all activities initiated under section 1604-T of The Fiscal Code
shall continue and remain in full force and effect and may be
completed under section 602(a), (b) and (c) of the act. Orders,
regulations, rules and decisions which were made under section
1604-T of The Fiscal Code and which are in effect on the
effective date of section 5(2) of this act shall remain in full
force and effect until revoked, vacated or modified under
section 602(a), (b) and (c) of the act. Contracts, obligations
and collective bargaining agreements entered into under section
1604-T of The Fiscal Code are not affected nor impaired by the
repeal of section 1604-T of The Fiscal Code.
Section 7. SECTION 6. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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