PERMANENT RULES
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Aging and Disability Services Administration)
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: The department is amending these rules as a result of legislative activity during session and to be consistent with federal regulations and newly passed state laws: SSB 5042, vulnerable adults protection, ESHB 1277, oversight of licensed or certified long-term care settings for vulnerable adults and 2E2SHB 1738, changing the designation of medicaid state agency.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-97-0001, 388-97-0140, 388-97-0600, 388-97-1640, 388-97-4160, 388-97-4180, 388-97-4280, and 388-97-4460.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: Chapters 18.51 and 74.42 RCW.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 11-17-070 on August 16, 2011.
Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: The changes, other than editing follow: Changes are shown with the new language underlined and deleted text lined through.
WAC 388-97-0001 Definitions.
(3) "Sexual abuse" means any form of nonconsensual((,))
sexual contact, including, but not limited to, unwanted or
inappropriate touching, rape, sodomy, sexual coercion,
sexually explicit photographing, and sexual harassment.
Sexual contact may include interactions that do not involve
touching, including but not limited to sending a resident
sexually explicit messages, or cuing or encouraging a resident
to perform sexual acts. Sexual abuse includes any sexual
contact between a staff person and a resident, whether or not
it is consensual.
WAC 388-97-0600 Refusal of certain transfers. (1) Each resident has the right to refuse a transfer to another room within the facility, if the purpose of the transfer is to make the resident eligible for coverage by the medicare or medicaid program.
(2) Refer to WAC 388-97-0580 for requirements related to a resident's right to notice before room or roommate changes.
(3) At the time of a proposed transfer, the skilled
nursing facility or nursing facility must inform the resident
of the right to refuse under subsection (1), if the purpose is
to make the resident eligible for coverage by the medicare or
medicaid program.
| SUMMARY OF COMMENTS RECEIVED | THE DEPARTMENT CONSIDERED ALL THE COMMENTS. THE ACTIONS TAKEN IN RESPONSE TO THE COMMENTS, OR THE REASONS NO ACTIONS WERE TAKEN, FOLLOW. |
| WAC 388-97-0001 Would be helpful to have examples of what proposed amendment means. | The department has accepted this comment and will include examples. |
| WAC 388-97-0600 The proposed change will increase discrimination against medicaid residents. Residents will be transferred when medicare benefits stop, even though medicaid residents can remain in the same bed under medicaid. Recommend reverting back to existing language. | The proposed language is
consistent with federal law and
interpretive guidelines. Federal law
and interpretative guidelines allow
residents to refuse transfer from a
room in one distinct part of an
institution to a room in another
distinct part of the institution for
purposes of obtaining medicare or
medicaid eligibility, 42 C.F.R.
483.10(o). The department agrees
with comments that nursing homes
would not be moving a resident in
order to make the resident eligible
for medicaid, because in
Washington state the entire
facility is medicaid certified.
Therefore, the proposed changes
to WAC 388-97-0600(3) has been
modified to delete "or medicaid”
from the end of subsection (3). Federal law and interpretive guidelines allows for room changes within a certified facility when notice is given. 42 C.F.R. 483.15 (e)(2). WAC 388-97-0580 establishes a three day notice time period except for certain reasons. |
| Moving the statement that all beds in a nursing facility are certified to provide medicaid services to the definition section clarifies all of the Chapter 388-97 WAC rules that use the term "nursing facility,” including WAC 388-97-0600. It is not necessary to repeat the same language in WAC 388-97-0600. | |
| WAC 388-97-4460 Need a subsection (4) pursuant to RCW 74.39A.060(7) the department must sanction and may issue a civil fine up to $3000 for retaliatory treatment of a resident or for willful interference with the official duties of the ombudsman program. Model after the boarding home rule language. | While this section is currently open, the scope of this rule making is limited to only rules that were necessary to being consistent with federal regulations and newly passed state laws. The department will keep this suggestion for consideration during the next round of rule making and when the governor's executive order suspending noncritical rule development is lifted. WAC 388-97-4480 provides authority for imposition of optional remedies, including civil fines, for willful interference with the performance of ombudsman duties. |
| WAC 388-97-0120 Put forth the provisions of the federal discharge and notice laws in the rules rather than just referencing the C.F.R. | This section is not currently open. The department will keep this suggestion for consideration during future rule making and when the governor's executive order suspending noncritical rule development is lifted. |
| WAC 388-97-0140 Need to address hospital dumping and urge the department to have a stakeholder meeting to start this process. | The department will keep this suggestion for consideration during future rule making and when the governor's executive order suspending noncritical rule development is lifted. |
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 7, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 8, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 8, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: October 31, 2011.
Katherine I. Vasquez
Rules Coordinator
4303.4"Abuse" means the willful action or inaction that inflicts injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation, or punishment of a vulnerable adult. In instances of abuse of a vulnerable adult who is unable to express or demonstrate physical harm, pain or mental anguish, the abuse is presumed to cause physical harm, pain, or mental anguish. Abuse includes sexual abuse, mental abuse, physical abuse, and exploitation of a vulnerable adult, which have the following meanings:
(1) "Mental abuse" means any willful action or inaction of mental or verbal abuse. Mental abuse includes, but is not limited to, coercion, harassment, inappropriately isolating a resident from family, friends, or regular activity, and verbal assault that includes ridiculing, intimidating, yelling, or swearing.
(2) "Physical abuse" means the willful action of inflicting bodily injury or physical mistreatment. Physical abuse includes, but is not limited to, striking with or without an object, slapping, pinching, choking, kicking, shoving, prodding, or restraints including chemical restraints, unless the restraint is consistent with licensing requirements.
(3) "Sexual abuse" means any form of nonconsensual((,))
sexual contact, including, but not limited to, unwanted or
inappropriate touching, rape, sodomy, sexual coercion,
sexually explicit photographing, and sexual harassment.
Sexual contact may include interactions that do not involve
touching, including but not limited to sending a resident
sexually explicit messages, or cuing or encouraging a resident
to perform sexual acts. Sexual abuse includes any sexual
contact between a staff person and a resident, whether or not
it is consensual.
(4) "Exploitation" means an act of forcing, compelling, or exerting undue influence over a resident causing the resident to act in a way that is inconsistent with relevant past behavior, or causing the resident to perform services for the benefit of another.
"Administrative hearing" is a formal hearing proceeding before a state administrative law judge that gives:
(1) A licensee an opportunity to be heard in disputes about licensing actions, including the imposition of remedies, taken by the department; or
(2) An individual an opportunity to appeal a finding of abandonment, abuse, neglect, financial exploitation of a resident, or misappropriation of a resident's funds.
"Administrative law judge (ALJ)" means an impartial decision-maker who presides over an administrative hearing. ALJs are employed by the office of administrative hearings (OAH), which is a separate state agency. ALJs are not DSHS employees or DSHS representatives.
"Administrator" means a nursing home administrator, licensed under chapter 18.52 RCW, who must be in active administrative charge of the nursing home, as that term is defined in the board of nursing home administrator's regulations.
"Advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP)" means an individual who is licensed to practice as an advanced registered nurse practitioner under chapter 18.79 RCW.
"Applicant" means an individual, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity seeking a license to operate a nursing home.
"ASHRAE" means the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers, Inc.
"Attending physician" means the doctor responsible for a particular individual's total medical care.
"Berm" means a bank of earth piled against a wall.
"Chemical restraint" means a psychopharmacologic drug that is used for discipline or convenience and is not required to treat the resident's medical symptoms.
"Civil adjudication proceeding" means judicial or administrative adjudicative proceeding that results in a finding of, or upholds an agency finding of, domestic violence, abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, abandonment, violation of a professional licensing standard regarding a child or vulnerable adult, or exploitation or financial exploitation of a child or vulnerable adult under any provision of law, including but not limited to chapter 13.34, 26.44, or 74.34 RCW, or rules adopted under chapters 18.51 and 74.42 RCW. "Civil adjudication proceeding" also includes judicial or administrative findings that become final due to the failure of the alleged perpetrator to timely exercise a legal right to administratively challenge such findings.
"Civil fine" is a civil monetary penalty assessed against a nursing home as authorized by chapters 18.51 and 74.42 RCW. There are two types of civil fines, "per day" and "per instance."
(1) "Per day fine" means a fine imposed for each day that a nursing home is out of compliance with a specific requirement. Per day fines are assessed in accordance with WAC 388-97-4580(1); and
(2) "Per instance fine" means a fine imposed for the occurrence of a deficiency.
"Condition on a license" means that the department has imposed certain requirements on a license and the licensee cannot operate the nursing home unless the requirements are observed.
"Deficiency" is a nursing home's failed practice, action or inaction that violates any or all of the following:
(1) Requirements of chapters 18.51 or 74.42 RCW, or the requirements of this chapter; and
(2) In the case of a medicare and medicaid contractor, participation requirements under Title XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act and federal medicare and medicaid regulations.
"Deficiency citation" or "cited deficiency" means written documentation by the department that describes a nursing home's deficiency(ies); the requirement that the deficiency(ies) violates; and the reasons for the determination of noncompliance.
"Deficient facility practice" or "failed facility practice" means the nursing home action(s), error(s), or lack of action(s) that provide the basis for the deficiency.
"Dementia care" means a therapeutic modality or modalities designed specifically for the care of persons with dementia.
"Denial of payment for new admissions" is an action imposed on a nursing home (facility) by the department that prohibits payment for new medicaid admissions to the nursing home after a specified date. Nursing homes certified to provide medicare and medicaid services may also be subjected to a denial of payment for new admissions by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
"Department" means the state department of social and health services (DSHS).
"Department on-site monitoring" means an optional remedy of on-site visits to a nursing home by department staff according to department guidelines for the purpose of monitoring resident care or services or both.
"Dietitian" means a qualified dietitian. A qualified dietitian is one who is registered by the American Dietetic Association or certified by the state of Washington.
"Disclosure statement" means a signed statement by an individual in accordance with the requirements under RCW 43.43.834. The statement should include a disclosure of whether or not the individual has been convicted of certain crimes or has been found by any court, state licensing board, disciplinary board, or protection proceeding to have neglected, sexually abused, financially exploited, or physically abused any minor or adult individual.
"Drug" means a substance:
(1) Recognized as a drug in the official United States Pharmacopoeia, Official Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States, Official National Formulary, or any supplement to any of them; or
(2) Intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease.
"Drug facility" means a room or area designed and equipped for drug storage and the preparation of drugs for administration.
"Emergency closure" is an order by the department to immediately close a nursing home.
"Emergency transfer" means immediate transfer of residents from a nursing home to safe settings.
"Entity" means any type of firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, or joint stock association.
"Financial exploitation" means the illegal or improper
use, control over, or withholding of the property, income,
resources, or trust funds of the vulnerable adult by any
((individual)) person or entity for ((his or her)) any person
or entity's profit or advantage other than the vulnerable
adult's profit or advantage. Some examples of financial
exploitation are given in RCW 74.34.020(6).
"Habilitative services" means the planned interventions and procedures which constitute a continuing and comprehensive effort to teach an individual previously undeveloped skills.
"Highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being" means providing each resident with the necessary individualized care and services to assist the resident to achieve or maintain the highest possible health, functional and independence level in accordance with the resident's comprehensive assessment and plan of care. Care and services provided by the nursing home must be consistent with all requirements in this chapter, chapters 74.42 and 18.51 RCW, and the resident's informed choices. For medicaid and medicare residents, care and services must also be consistent with Title XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act and federal medicare and medicaid regulations.
"Informal department review" is a dispute resolution process that provides an opportunity for the licensee or administrator to informally present information to a department representative about disputed, cited deficiencies. Refer to WAC 388-97-4420.
"Inspection" or "survey" means the process by which department staff evaluates the nursing home licensee's compliance with applicable statutes and regulations.
"Intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded (ICF/MR)" means an institution certified under chapter 42 C.F.R., Part 483, Subpart I, and licensed under chapter 18.51 RCW.
"License revocation" is an action taken by the department to cancel a nursing home license in accordance with RCW 18.51.060 and WAC 388-97-4220.
"License suspension" is an action taken by the department to temporarily revoke a nursing home license in accordance with RCW 18.51.060 and this chapter.
"Licensee" means an individual, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity licensed to operate a nursing home.
"Licensed practical nurse" means an individual licensed to practice as a licensed practical nurse under chapter 18.79 RCW;
"Mandated reporter" as used in this chapter means any employee of a nursing home, any health care provider subject to chapter 18.130 RCW, the Uniform Disciplinary Act, and any licensee or operator of a nursing home. Under RCW 74.34.020, mandated reporters also include any employee of the department of social and health services, law enforcement officers, social workers, professional school personnel, individual providers, employees and licensees of boarding home, adult family homes, soldiers' homes, residential habilitation centers, or any other facility licensed by the department, employees of social service, welfare, mental health, adult day health, adult day care, home health, home care, or hospice agencies, county coroners or medical examiners, or Christian Science practitioners.
"Misappropriation of resident property" means the deliberate misplacement, exploitation, or wrongful, temporary or permanent use of a resident's belongings or money.
"NFPA" means National Fire Protection Association, Inc.
"Neglect":
(1) In a nursing home licensed under chapter 18.51 RCW, neglect means that an individual or entity with a duty of care for nursing home residents has:
(a) By a pattern of conduct or inaction, failed to provide goods and services to maintain physical or mental health or to avoid or prevent physical or mental harm or pain to a resident; or
(b) By an act or omission, demonstrated a serious disregard of consequences of such magnitude as to constitute a clear and present danger to the resident's health, welfare, or safety.
(2) In a skilled nursing facility or nursing facility, neglect also means a failure to provide a resident with the goods and services necessary to avoid physical harm, mental anguish, or mental illness.
"Noncompliance" means a state of being out of compliance with state and/or federal requirements for nursing homes/facilities.
"Nursing assistant" means a nursing assistant as defined under RCW 18.88A.020 or successor laws.
"Nursing facility (NF)" or "medicaid-certified nursing facility" means a nursing home, or any portion of a hospital, veterans' home, or residential habilitation center, that is certified to provide nursing services to medicaid recipients under Section 1919(a) of the federal Social Security Act. All beds in a nursing facility are certified to provide medicaid services, even though one or more of the beds are also certified to provide medicare skilled nursing facility services.
"Nursing home" means any facility licensed to operate under chapter 18.51 RCW.
"Officer" means an individual serving as an officer of a corporation.
"Owner of five percent or more of the assets of a nursing home" means:
(1) The individual, and if applicable, the individual's spouse, who operates, or is applying to operate, the nursing home as a sole proprietorship;
(2) In the case of a corporation, the owner of at least five percent of the shares or capital stock of the corporation; or
(3) In the case of other types of business entities, the owner of a beneficial interest in at least five percent of the capital assets of an entity.
"Partner" means an individual in a partnership owning or operating a nursing home.
"Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association or joint stock association.
"Pharmacist" means an individual licensed by the Washington state board of pharmacy under chapter 18.64 RCW.
"Pharmacy" means a place licensed under chapter 18.64 RCW where the practice of pharmacy is conducted.
"Physical restraint" means any manual method or physical or mechanical device, material, or equipment attached or adjacent to the resident's body that the resident cannot remove easily, and which restricts freedom of movement or access to the resident's body.
"Physician's assistant (PA)" means a physician's assistant as defined under chapter 18.57A or 18.71A RCW or successor laws.
"Plan of correction" is a nursing home's written response to cited deficiencies that explains how it will correct the deficiencies and how it will prevent their reoccurrence.
"Reasonable accommodation" and "reasonably accommodate" has the meaning given in federal and state antidiscrimination laws and regulations. For the purpose of this chapter:
(1) Reasonable accommodation means that the nursing home must:
(a) Not impose admission criteria that excludes individuals unless the criteria is necessary for the provision of nursing home services;
(b) Make reasonable modification to its policies, practices or procedures if the modifications are necessary to accommodate the needs of the resident;
(c) Provide additional aids and services to the resident.
(2) Reasonable accommodations are not required if:
(a) The resident or individual applying for admission presents a significant risk to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by the reasonable accommodation;
(b) The reasonable accommodations would fundamentally alter the nature of the services provided by the nursing home; or
(c) The reasonable accommodations would cause an undue burden, meaning a significant financial or administrative burden.
"Receivership" is established by a court action and results in the removal of a nursing home's current licensee and the appointment of a substitute licensee to temporarily operate the nursing home.
"Recurring deficiency" means a deficiency that was cited by the department, corrected by the nursing home, and then cited again within fifteen months of the initial deficiency citation.
"Registered nurse" means an individual licensed to practice as a registered nurse under chapter 18.79 RCW.
"Rehabilitative services" means the planned interventions and procedures which constitute a continuing and comprehensive effort to restore an individual to the individual's former functional and environmental status, or alternatively, to maintain or maximize remaining function.
"Resident" generally means an individual residing in a nursing home. Except as specified elsewhere in this chapter, for decision-making purposes, the term "resident" includes the resident's surrogate decision maker acting under state law. The term resident excludes outpatients and individuals receiving adult day or night care, or respite care.
"Resident care unit" means a functionally separate unit including resident rooms, toilets, bathing facilities, and basic service facilities.
"Respiratory isolation" is a technique or techniques instituted to prevent the transmission of pathogenic organisms by means of droplets and droplet nuclei coughed, sneezed, or breathed into the environment.
"Siphon jet clinic service sink" means a plumbing fixture of adequate size and proper design for waste disposal with siphon jet or similar action sufficient to flush solid matter of at least two and one-eighth inches in diameter.
"Skilled nursing facility (SNF)" or "medicare-certified skilled nursing facility" means a nursing home, a portion of a nursing home, or a long-term care wing or unit of a hospital that has been certified to provide nursing services to medicare recipients under Section 1819(a) of the federal Social Security Act.
"Social/therapeutic leave" means leave which is for the resident's social, emotional, or psychological well-being; it does not include medical leave.
"Staff work station" means a location at which nursing and other staff perform charting and related activities throughout the day.
"Stop placement" or "stop placement order" is an action taken by the department prohibiting nursing home admissions, readmissions, and transfers of patients into the nursing home from the outside.
"Substantial compliance" means the nursing home has no deficiencies higher than severity level 1 as described in WAC 388-97-4500, or for medicaid certified facility, no deficiencies higher than a scope and severity "C."
"Surrogate decision maker" means a resident representative or representatives as outlined in WAC 388-97-0240, and as authorized by RCW 7.70.065.
"Survey" means the same as "inspection" as defined in this section.
"Temporary manager" means an individual or entity appointed by the department to oversee the operation of the nursing home to ensure the health and safety of its residents, pending correction of deficiencies or closure of the facility.
"Termination" means an action taken by:
(1) The department, or the nursing home, to cancel a nursing home's medicaid certification and contract; or
(2) The department of health and human services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or the nursing home, to cancel a nursing home's provider agreement to provide services to medicaid or medicare recipients, or both.
"Toilet room" means a room containing at least one toilet fixture.
"Uncorrected deficiency" is a deficiency that has been cited by the department and that is not corrected by the licensee by the time the department does a revisit.
"Violation" means the same as "deficiency" as defined in this section.
"Volunteer" means an individual who is a regularly scheduled individual not receiving payment for services and having unsupervised access to a nursing home resident.
"Vulnerable adult" includes a person:
(1) Sixty years of age or older who has the functional, mental, or physical inability to care for himself or herself; or
(2) Found incapacitated under chapter 11.88 RCW; or
(3) Who has a developmental disability as defined under RCW 71A.10.020; or
(4) Admitted to any facility, including any boarding home; or
(5) Receiving services from home health, hospice, or home care agencies licensed or required to be licensed under chapter 70.127 RCW; or
(6) Receiving services from an individual provider; or
(7) With a functional disability who lives in his or her own home, who is directing and supervising a paid personal aide to perform a health care task as authorized by RCW 74.39.050.
"Whistle blower" means a resident, employee of a nursing home, or any person licensed under Title 18 RCW, who in good faith reports alleged abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect to the department, the department of health or to a law enforcement agency.
[Statutory Authority: Chapters 18.51 and 74.42 RCW. 10-02-021, § 388-97-0001, filed 12/29/09, effective 1/29/10. Statutory Authority: Chapters 18.51 and 74.42 RCW and 42 C.F.R. 489.52. 08-20-062, § 388-97-0001, filed 9/24/08, effective 11/1/08.]
(a) Provide the required written notice of transfer or discharge to the resident and, if known or appropriate, to a family member or the resident's representative;
(b) Attach a department-designated hearing request form to the transfer or discharge notice;
(c) Inform the resident in writing, in a language and manner the resident can understand, that:
(i) An appeal request may be made any time up to ninety days from the date the resident receives the notice of transfer or discharge; and
(ii) Transfer or discharge will be suspended when an appeal request is received by the office of administrative hearings on or before the date the resident actually transfers or discharges; and
(iii) The nursing home will assist the resident in requesting a hearing to appeal the transfer or discharge decision.
(2) A skilled nursing facility or nursing facility must suspend transfer or discharge pending the outcome of the hearing when the resident's appeal is received by the office of administrative hearings on or before the date of the transfer or discharge set forth in the written transfer or discharge notice, or before the resident is actually transferred or discharged.
(3) The resident is entitled to appeal the skilled
nursing facility or nursing facility's transfer or discharge
decision. The appeals process is set forth in chapter
((388-02)) 388-526 WAC, chapter 182-526 WAC and this chapter. In such appeals, the following will apply:
(a) In the event of a conflict between a provision in
this chapter and a provision in chapter ((388-02)) 388-526 WAC
or chapter 182-526 WAC, the provision in this chapter will
prevail;
(b) The resident must be the appellant and the skilled nursing facility or the nursing facility will be the respondent;
(c) The department must be notified of the appeal and may choose whether to participate in the proceedings. If the department chooses to participate, its role is to represent the state's interest in assuring that skilled nursing facility and nursing facility transfer and discharge actions comply substantively and procedurally with the law and with federal requirements necessary for federal funds;
(d) If a medicare certified or medicaid certified facility's decision to transfer or discharge a resident is not upheld, and the resident has been relocated, the resident has the right to readmission immediately upon the first available bed in a semi-private room if the resident requires and is eligible for the services provided by a nursing facility or skilled nursing facility;
(e) Any review of the administrative law judge's initial
decision shall be conducted under ((WAC 388-02-0600(1)))
chapter 388-526 WAC or chapter 182-526 WAC.
[Statutory Authority: Chapters 18.51 and 74.42 RCW and 42 C.F.R. 489.52. 08-20-062, § 388-97-0140, filed 9/24/08, effective 11/1/08.]
(1) Each resident has the right to refuse a transfer to
another room within the facility, if the purpose of the
transfer is to ((relocate:
(a) A resident from the medicare distinct part of the facility to a part of the facility that is not a medicare distinct part; or
(b) A resident from the part of the facility that is not a medicare distinct part to the medicare distinct part of the facility)) make the resident eligible for coverage by the medicare or medicaid program.
(2) ((A resident's exercise of the right to refuse
transfer under subsection (1)(a) of this section does not
affect the individual's eligibility or entitlement to medicare
or medicaid benefits)) Refer to WAC 388-97-0580 for
requirements related to a resident's right to notice before
room or roommate changes.
(3) At the time of a proposed transfer, the skilled
nursing facility or nursing facility must inform the
resident((s)) of ((their)) the right((s)) to refuse under
subsection (1) ((and (2) of this section at the time of the
proposed transfer or relocation)), if the purpose is to make
the resident eligible for coverage by the medicare program.
[Statutory Authority: Chapters 18.51 and 74.42 RCW and 42 C.F.R. 489.52. 08-20-062, § 388-97-0600, filed 9/24/08, effective 11/1/08.]
(a) Any allegations of resident abandonment, abuse, or neglect, including substantial injuries of an unknown source, financial exploitation and misappropriation of a resident's property;
(b) Any unusual event, having an actual or potential negative impact on residents, requiring the actual or potential implementation of the nursing home's disaster plan. These unusual events include but are not limited to those listed under WAC 388-97-1740 (1)(a) through (k), and could include the evacuation of all or part of the residents to another area of the nursing home or to another address; and
(c) Circumstances which threaten the nursing home's ability to ensure continuation of services to residents.
(2) Mandated reporters must notify the department and law enforcement as directed in WAC 388-97-0640, and according to department established nursing home guidelines.
(3) The nursing home must notify the department's aging and disability services administration of:
(a) Physical plant changes, including but not limited to:
(i) New construction;
(ii) Proposed resident area or room use change;
(iii) Resident room number changes; and
(iv) Proposed bed banking.
(b) Mechanical failure of equipment important to the everyday functioning of the nursing home, which cannot be repaired within a reasonable time frame, such as an elevator; and
(c) An actual or proposed change of ownership (CHOW).
(4) The nursing home must notify, in writing, the department's aging and disability services administration and each resident, of a loss of, or change in, the nursing home's administrator or director of nursing services at the time the loss or change occurs.
(5) The nursing home licensee must notify the department's aging and disability services administration in writing of any change in the name of the licensee, or of the nursing home, at the time the change occurs.
(6) If a licensee operates in a building it does not own, the licensee must immediately notify the department of the occurrence of any event of default under the terms of the lease, or if it receives verbal or written notice that the lease agreement will be terminated, or that the lease agreement will not be renewed.
(7) The nursing home must report any case or suspected case of a reportable disease to the appropriate department of health officer and must also notify the appropriate department(s) of other health and safety issues, according to state and local laws.
(8) The nursing home licensee must notify the department in writing of a nursing home's voluntary closure.
(a) The licensee must send this written notification sixty days before closure to the department's designated local aging and adult administration office and to all residents and resident representatives.
(b) Relocation of residents and any required notice to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the public must be in accordance with WAC 388-97-4320(2).
(9) The nursing home licensee must notify the department and the health care authority in writing of voluntary termination of its medicare or medicaid contract.
(a) The licensee must send this written notification sixty days before contract termination, to the department's designated local aging and disability services administration office and to all residents and resident representatives.
(b) If the contractor continues to provide nursing facility services, the contract termination will be subject to federal law prohibiting the discharge of residents who are residing in the facility on the day before the effective date of the contract termination.
(10) The nursing home licensee must notify the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of voluntary termination of its medicare provider agreement in accordance with the requirements of 42 C.F.R. 489.52 or successor regulations.
[Statutory Authority: Chapters 18.51 and 74.42 RCW and 42 C.F.R. 489.52. 08-20-062, § 388-97-1640, filed 9/24/08, effective 11/1/08.]
(a) Submitted at least sixty days prior to the proposed effective date of the license on forms designated by the department;
(b) Signed by the proposed licensee or the proposed licensee's authorized representative;
(c) Notarized; and
(d) Reviewed by the department in accordance with this chapter.
(2) All information requested on the license application must be provided. At minimum, the nursing home license application will require the following information:
(a) The name and address of the proposed licensee, and any partner, officer, director, managerial employee, or owner of five percent or more of the proposed licensee;
(b) The names of the administrator, director of nursing services, and, if applicable, the management company;
(c) The specific location and the mailing address of the facility for which a license is sought;
(d) The number of beds to be licensed; and
(e) The name and address of all nursing homes that the proposed licensee or any partner, officer, director, managerial employee, or owner of five percent or more of the proposed licensee has been affiliated with in the past ten years.
(3) The proposed licensee must be:
(a) The individual or entity responsible for the daily operation of the nursing home;
(b) Denied the license if any individual or entity named in the application is found by the department to be unqualified.
(4) For initial licensure of a new nursing home, the
proposed licensee must submit the annual license fee with the
initial license application. ((The nonrefundable nursing home
license fee is three hundred twenty seven dollars per bed per
year)) The per bed license fee is established in the state's
omnibus biennial appropriations act and any amendment or
additions made to that act.
(5) If any information submitted in the initial license application changes before the license is issued, the proposed licensee must submit a revised application containing the changed information.
(6) If a license application is pending for more than six months, the proposed licensee must submit a revised application containing current information about the proposed licensee or any other individuals or entities named in the application.
(7) A license may not exceed twelve months in duration and expires on a date set by the department.
(8) A license must be issued only to the person who applied for the license.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.51.050, 43.135.055, and 2010 c 37 § 206 (19)(a). 10-21-037, § 388-97-4160, filed 10/12/10, effective 10/29/10. Statutory Authority: Chapters 18.51 and 74.42 RCW and 42 C.F.R. 489.52. 08-20-062, § 388-97-4160, filed 9/24/08, effective 11/1/08.]
(2) License renewals must be:
(a) Submitted at least thirty days prior to the license's expiration date on forms designated by the department;
(b) Signed by the current licensee; and
(c) Reviewed by the department in accordance with this chapter.
(3) The current licensee must provide all information on the license renewal form or other information requested by the department.
(4) The application for a nursing home license renewal must be made by the individual or entity currently licensed and responsible for the daily operation of the nursing home.
(5) The nursing home license renewal fee must be
submitted at the time of renewal. ((The nonrefundable nursing
home license renewal fee is three hundred twenty seven dollars
per bed per year)) The per bed license fee is established in
the state's omnibus biennial appropriations act and any
amendment or additions made to that act.
(6) In unusual circumstances, the department may issue an interim nursing home license for a period not to exceed three months. The current licensee must submit the prorated nursing home license fee for the period covered by the interim license. The annual date of license renewal does not change when an interim license is issued.
(7) A change of nursing home ownership does not change the date of license renewal and fee payment.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.51.050, 43.135.055, and 2010 c 37 § 206 (19)(a). 10-21-037, § 388-97-4180, filed 10/12/10, effective 10/29/10. Statutory Authority: Chapters 18.51 and 74.42 RCW and 42 C.F.R. 489.52. 08-20-062, § 388-97-4180, filed 9/24/08, effective 11/1/08.]
(a) The form of legal organization of the licensee is changed (e.g., a sole proprietor forms a partnership or corporation);
(b) The licensee transfers ownership of the nursing home business enterprise to another party regardless of whether ownership of some or all of the real property and/or personal property assets of the facility is also transferred;
(c) Dissolution or consolidation of the entity;
(d) Merger unless the licensee survives the merger and there is not a change in control of the licensee;
(e) If, during any continuous twenty-four month period, fifty percent or more of the entity is transferred, whether by a single transaction or multiple transactions, to:
(i) A different party (e.g., new or former shareholders); or
(ii) An individual or entity that had less than a five percent ownership interest in the nursing home at the time of the first transaction; or
(f) Any other event or combination of events that the department determines results in a:
(i) Substitution, elimination, or withdrawal of the licensee; or
(ii) Substitution of control of the licensee responsible for the daily operational decisions of the nursing home.
(2) Ownership does not change when the following, without more, occur:
(a) A party contracts with the licensee to manage the nursing home enterprise in accordance with the requirements of WAC 388-97-4260; or
(b) The real property or personal property assets of the nursing home are sold or leased, or a lease of the real property or personal property assets is terminated, as long as there is not a substitution or substitution of control of the licensee.
(3) When a change of ownership is contemplated, the current licensee must notify the department and all residents and their representatives at least sixty days prior to the proposed date of transfer. The notice must be in writing and contain the following information as specified in RCW 18.51.530:
(a) Name of the proposed licensee;
(b) Name of the managing entity;
(c) Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of department personnel to whom comments regarding the change may be directed;
(d) Names of all officers and the registered agent in the state of Washington if proposed licensee is a corporation; and
(e) Names of all general partners if proposed licensee is a partnership.
(4) The proposed licensee must comply with license application requirements. The operation or ownership of a nursing home must not be transferred until the proposed licensee has been issued a license to operate the nursing home.
(5) In the event of a change of ownership, the previously established license expiration date must not change.
[Statutory Authority: Chapters 18.51 and 74.42 RCW and 42 C.F.R. 489.52. 08-20-062, § 388-97-4280, filed 9/24/08, effective 11/1/08.]
Mandatory Remedies
(1) In accordance with RCW 18.51.060 (5)(a), the department must impose a stop placement order when the department determines that the nursing home is not in substantial compliance with applicable laws or regulations and the cited deficiency(ies):
(a) Jeopardize the health and safety of the residents; or
(b) Seriously limit the nursing home's capacity to provide adequate care.
(2) When required by RCW 18.51.060(3), the ((department))
health care authority must deny payment to a nursing home that
is certified to provide medicaid services for any
medicaid-eligible individual admitted to the nursing home. Nursing homes that are certified to provide medicare services
or both medicare and medicaid services may be subject to a
federal denial of payment for new admissions, in accordance
with federal law.
(3) The department must deny, suspend, revoke or refuse to renew a proposed or current licensee's nursing home license in accordance with WAC 388-97-4220(3).
Optional Remedies
(4) When the department determines that a licensee has failed or refused to comply with the requirements under chapter 18.51, 74.39A or 74.42 RCW, or this chapter; or a medicaid contractor has failed or refused to comply with medicaid requirements of Title XIX of the Social Security Act or medicaid regulations, the department, or when appropriate, the health care authority, may impose any or all of the following optional remedies:
(a) Stop placement;
(b) Immediate closure of a nursing home, emergency transfer of residents or both;
(c) Civil fines;
(d) Appoint temporary management;
(e) Petition the court for appointment of a receiver in accordance with RCW 18.51.410;
(f) License denial, revocation, suspension or nonrenewal;
(g) Denial of payment for new medicaid admissions;
(h) Termination of the medicaid provider agreement (contract);
(i) Department on-site monitoring as defined under WAC 388-97-0001; and
(j) Reasonable conditions on a license as authorized by chapter 74.39A RCW. Examples of conditions on a license include but are not limited to training related to the deficiency(ies); consultation in order to write an acceptable plan of correction; demonstration of ability to meet financial obligations necessary to continue operation.
[Statutory Authority: Chapters 18.51 and 74.42 RCW and 42 C.F.R. 489.52. 08-20-062, § 388-97-4460, filed 9/24/08, effective 11/1/08.]