The Florida Senate

As used in this section, the term:

Each facility licensed under this part must comply with subsection (9) and s. 400.022(1)(p) when deciding to discharge or transfer a resident.

When a discharge or transfer is initiated by the nursing home, the nursing home administrator employed by the nursing home that is discharging or transferring the resident, or an individual employed by the nursing home who is designated by the nursing home administrator to act on behalf of the administration, must sign the notice of discharge or transfer. Any notice indicating a medical reason for transfer or discharge must either be signed by the resident’s attending physician or the medical director of the facility, or include an attached written order for the discharge or transfer. The notice or the order must be signed by the resident’s physician, medical director, treating physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant.

A resident of any Medicaid or Medicare certified facility may challenge a decision by the facility to discharge or transfer the resident.

A facility that has been reimbursed for reserving a bed and, for reasons other than those permitted under this section, refuses to readmit a resident within the prescribed timeframe shall refund the bed reservation payment.

At least 30 days prior to any proposed transfer or discharge, a facility must provide advance notice of the proposed transfer or discharge to the resident and, if known, to a family member or the resident’s legal guardian or representative, except, in the following circumstances, the facility shall give notice as soon as practicable before the transfer or discharge:

The notice required by subsection (7) must be in writing and must contain all information required by state and federal law, rules, or regulations applicable to Medicaid or Medicare cases. The agency shall develop a standard document to be used by all facilities licensed under this part for purposes of notifying residents of a discharge or transfer. Such document must include a means for a resident to request the local long-term care ombudsman council to review the notice and request information about or assistance with initiating a fair hearing with the department’s Office of Appeals Hearings. In addition to any other pertinent information included, the form shall specify the reason allowed under federal or state law that the resident is being discharged or transferred, with an explanation to support this action. Further, the form shall state the effective date of the discharge or transfer and the location to which the resident is being discharged or transferred. The form shall clearly describe the resident’s appeal rights and the procedures for filing an appeal, including the right to request the local ombudsman council to review the notice of discharge or transfer. A copy of the notice must be placed in the resident’s clinical record, and a copy must be transmitted to the resident’s legal guardian or representative and to the local ombudsman council within 5 business days after signature by the resident or resident designee.

A resident may request that the local ombudsman council review any notice of discharge or transfer given to the resident. When requested by a resident to review a notice of discharge or transfer, the local ombudsman council shall do so within 7 days after receipt of the request. The nursing home administrator, or the administrator’s designee, must forward the request for review contained in the notice to the local ombudsman council within 24 hours after such request is submitted. Failure to forward the request within 24 hours after the request is submitted shall toll the running of the 30-day advance notice period until the request has been forwarded.

Notwithstanding paragraph (10)(b), an emergency discharge or transfer may be implemented as necessary pursuant to state or federal law during the period of time after the notice is given and before the time a hearing decision is rendered. Notice of an emergency discharge or transfer to the resident, the resident’s legal guardian or representative, and the local ombudsman council if requested pursuant to subsection (9) must be by telephone or in person. This notice shall be given before the transfer, if possible, or as soon thereafter as practicable. A local ombudsman council conducting a review under this subsection shall do so within 24 hours after receipt of the request. The resident’s file must be documented to show who was contacted, whether the contact was by telephone or in person, and the date and time of the contact. If the notice is not given in writing, written notice meeting the requirements of subsection (8) must be given the next working day.

After receipt of any notice required under this section, the local ombudsman council may request a private informal conversation with a resident to whom the notice is directed, and, if known, a family member or the resident’s legal guardian or designee, to ensure that the facility is proceeding with the discharge or transfer in accordance with the requirements of this section. If requested, the local ombudsman council shall assist the resident with filing an appeal of the proposed discharge or transfer.

The following persons must be present at all hearings authorized under this section:

A representative of the local long-term care ombudsman council may be present at all hearings authorized by this section.

In any hearing under this section, the following information concerning the parties shall be confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1):

The exemption created by this subsection does not prohibit access to such information by a local long-term care ombudsman council upon request, by a reviewing court if such information is required to be part of the record upon subsequent review, or as specified in s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution.

The department may adopt rules necessary to administer this section.

The provisions of this section apply to transfers or discharges that are initiated by the nursing home facility, and not by the resident or by the resident’s physician or legal guardian or representative.