(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the department shall issue a license to a home health agency that applies to the department for a home health agency license and meets all of the following requirements:

1. (1) Is accredited as a home health agency by an entity approved by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as a national accreditation organization, and the national accreditation organization forwards to the department copies of all initial and subsequent survey and other accreditation reports or findings.
2. (2) Files an application with fees pursuant to this chapter.
3. (3) Meets any other additional licensure requirements of, or regulations adopted pursuant to, this chapter that the department identifies, after consulting with the national accreditation organizations, as more stringent than the accreditation requirements of the national accreditation organizations.