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

1. (1) Is accredited as a hospice 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) Demonstrates and provides evidence to the department of an unmet need of hospice services in the geographic area the hospice agency would serve.
4. (4) Meets any other additional licensure requirements of, or regulations adopted if necessary pursuant to, this chapter that the department identifies, after consulting with the national accreditation organization, as more stringent than the accreditation requirements of the national accreditation organization.