Section 4012-B. Hospice palliative care program for persons with advanced and progressive disease

1. Notwithstanding any  inconsistent  provision
  of  this  article to the contrary, a hospice may also offer a program of
  palliative care for patients with advanced and progressive  disease  and
  their  families.  Such  a  program may be provided by a hospice issued a
  certificate of approval pursuant to section forty hundred four  of  this
  article,  acting  alone  or  under contract with a certified home health
  agency, long term home health care program, licensed home care  services
  agency  or  AIDS home care program, as such terms are defined in section
  thirty-six hundred two of this chapter. Nothing in  this  section  shall
  preclude  the  provision  of  palliative  care  by any other health care
  provider otherwise authorized to provide such services.
    2. For the purposes of this section the following terms shall mean:
    (a) "Advanced and progressive disease" means a medical condition which
  is irreversible and which will continue indefinitely, where there is  no
  reasonable hope of maintaining life.
    (b)  "Palliative  care"  means  the  active, interdisciplinary care of
  patients with advanced, life-limiting illness,  focusing  on  relief  of
  distressing  physical  and  psychosocial  symptoms and meeting spiritual
  needs. Its goal is achievement of the best quality of life for  patients
  and families.