Other Licensing Requirements

(A) Ownership Interest. An applicant or licensee must be the owner of the premises on which the hospice program administration and any hospice inpatient facility directly operated by the hospice program is operated or lessee of the premises for at least one year. (B) Name. Each hospice program applying for a license shall be designated by permanent and distinctive name that shall appear on the application for a license. To avoid public confusion or misrepresentation, this name shall not be changed without prior approval by the Department. (C) Fees. The hospice license fee shall accompany every application and shall be as set by the Executive Office of Administration and Finance. Payment of the fee shall be by check or money order payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. (D) Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Certificate of Waiver. If a hospice program intends to perform on its patients any laboratory tests, such as glucose monitoring or fecal occult blood tests, the hospice program must apply for and receive, through the Department’s Clinical Laboratory Program, a CLIA Certificate of Waiver prior to performing these tests. (E) Any hospice that is authorized to provide inpatient care directly in a hospice inpatient facility shall, prior to the operation of such facility, and, as a prerequisite for subsequent licensure renewal, submit to the Department the following: (1) a certificate of inspection of the egresses, the means of preventing the spread of fire, and the apparatus for extinguishing fire, issued by the Department. (2) a certificate of inspection, issued by the head of the local fire department, certifying compliance with local ordinances. (3) evidence that the licensee owns the premises on which the facility is operated or has a valid lease agreement. (F) Any hospice that is authorized to provide inpatient care directly in a hospice inpatient facility, must submit and receive the Department’s approval of architectural plans and specifications for the hospice inpatient facility prior to the construction of such facility. In the case of alterations or additions to an existing hospice inpatient facility, or conversion of an existing building, preliminary and final architectural plans and specifications shall be submitted to the Department for approval prior to said alterations or additions or conversion. (G) Any hospice that is authorized to provide inpatient care directly in a hospice inpatient facility must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Department that it meets the requirements set forth in 105 CMR 141.204(H)(4).