The CARE Act Legislation Has Been Filed

More than 1,270,000 family caregivers in Missouri help their loved ones to live independently - keeping them out of costly institutions, such as nursing homes. To help Missouri caregivers, AARP has advocated for state lawmakers to enact the Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act and help family caregivers as their loved ones go into the hospital and as they transition home.

Senator Ryan Silvey (R-17) listened and has filed the CARE Act (SB 1101) legislation. Below is the Current Bill Summary:

SB 1102 - Under this act, the "Caregiver, Advise, Record, and Enable (CARE) Act," a hospital or ambulatory surgical center shall provide each patient or patient's legal guardian with an opportunity to designate a caregiver prior to the patient's discharge. Such designation shall include a written consent of the patient or the patient's legal guardian to release confidential medical information to the designated caregiver if such records are necessary for the provision of after-care. Such caregiver designation, or lack thereof, shall be documented by the hospital or ambulatory surgical center. The hospital or ambulatory surgical center shall notify a patient's caregiver of the patient's discharge or transfer as soon as practicable, and provide the caregiver with the patient's discharge plan or instructions for after-care.

Nothing in this act authorizes or requires compensation of caregivers by a state agency or health carrier. Hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, or employees or contractors of such shall not be liable in any way for the actions of a caregiver. Nothing in this act shall interfere with the rights of an attorney in fact under a durable power of health care.

Thank you Sen. Silvey for taking this step to help family caregivers and older Missourians who want to live independently at home.