The Florida Senate

400.474  Denial, suspension, revocation of license; injunction; grounds; penalties.--

(1)  The agency may deny, revoke, or suspend a license, or impose an administrative fine in the manner provided in chapter 120, or initiate injunctive proceedings under s. 400.515.

(2)  Any of the following actions by a home health agency or its employee is grounds for disciplinary action by the agency:

(a)  Violation of this part or of applicable rules.

(b)  An intentional, reckless, or negligent act that materially affects the health or safety of a patient.

(c)  Knowingly providing home health services in an unlicensed assisted living facility or unlicensed adult family-care home, unless the home health agency or employee reports the unlicensed facility or home to the agency within 72 hours after providing the services.

(3)  The agency may impose the following penalties for operating without a license upon an applicant or owner who has in the past operated, or who currently operates, a licensed home health agency.

(a)  If a home health agency that is found to be operating without a license wishes to apply for a license, the home health agency may submit an application only after the agency has verified that the home health agency no longer operates an unlicensed home health agency.

(b)  Any person, partnership, or corporation that violates paragraph (a) and that previously operated a licensed home health agency or concurrently operates both a licensed home health agency and an unlicensed home health agency commits a felony of the third degree punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. If an owner has an interest in more than one home health agency and fails to license any one of those home health agencies, the agency must issue a cease and desist order for the activities of the unlicensed home health agency and impose a moratorium on any or all of the licensed related home health agencies until the unlicensed home health agency is licensed.

(c)  If any home health agency meets the criteria in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) and that home health agency has received any government reimbursement for services provided by an unlicensed home health agency, the agency shall make a fraud referral to the appropriate government reimbursement program.

(4)  The agency may deny, revoke, or suspend the license of a home health agency, or may impose on a home health agency administrative fines not to exceed the aggregate sum of $5,000 if:

(a)  The agency is unable to obtain entry to the home health agency to conduct a licensure survey, complaint investigation, surveillance visit, or monitoring visit.

(b)  An applicant or a licensed home health agency has falsely represented a material fact in the application, or has omitted from the application any material fact, including, but not limited to, the fact that the controlling or ownership interest is held by any officer, director, agent, manager, employee, affiliated person, partner, or shareholder who is not eligible to participate.

(c)  An applicant, owner, or person who has a 5 percent or greater interest in a licensed entity:

1.  Has been previously found by any licensing, certifying, or professional standards board or agency to have violated the standards or conditions that relate to home health-related licensure or certification, or to the quality of home health-related services provided; or

2.  Has been or is currently excluded, suspended, terminated from, or has involuntarily withdrawn from, participation in the Medicaid program of this state or any other state, the Medicare program, or any other governmental health care or health insurance program.

History.--s. 42, ch. 75-233; s. 2, ch. 81-318; ss. 79, 83, ch. 83-181; ss. 5, 23, ch. 93-214; s. 20, ch. 98-80; s. 4, ch. 99-332.