| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to licensure of health care providers; |
| 3 | amending s. 408.808, F.S.; providing for renewal of |
| 4 | inactive license status for statutory rural hospitals |
| 5 | under certain circumstances; providing an effective date. |
| 6 |
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| 7 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 8 |
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| 9 | Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 408.808, Florida |
| 10 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 11 | 408.808 License categories.-- |
| 12 | (3) INACTIVE LICENSE.--An inactive license may be issued |
| 13 | to a health care provider subject to the certificate-of-need |
| 14 | provisions in part I of this chapter when the provider is |
| 15 | currently licensed, does not have a provisional license, and |
| 16 | will be temporarily unable to provide services but is reasonably |
| 17 | expected to resume services within 12 months. Such designation |
| 18 | may be made for a period not to exceed 12 months but may be |
| 19 | renewed by the agency for up to 12 additional months upon |
| 20 | demonstration by the licensee of the provider's progress toward |
| 21 | reopening. However, if after 20 months in an inactive license |
| 22 | status, a statutory rural hospital, as defined in s. 395.602, |
| 23 | has demonstrated progress toward reopening, but may not be able |
| 24 | to reopen prior to the inactive license expiration date, the |
| 25 | inactive designation may be renewed again by the agency for up |
| 26 | to 12 additional months. A request by a licensee for an inactive |
| 27 | license or to extend the previously approved inactive period |
| 28 | must be submitted to the agency and must include a written |
| 29 | justification for the inactive license with the beginning and |
| 30 | ending dates of inactivity specified, a plan for the transfer of |
| 31 | any clients to other providers, and the appropriate licensure |
| 32 | fees. The agency may not accept a request that is submitted |
| 33 | after initiating closure, after any suspension of service, or |
| 34 | after notifying clients of closure or suspension of service, |
| 35 | unless the action is a result of a disaster at the licensed |
| 36 | premises. For the purposes of this section, the term "disaster" |
| 37 | means a sudden emergency occurrence beyond the control of the |
| 38 | licensee, whether natural, technological, or manmade, which |
| 39 | renders the provider inoperable at the premises. Upon agency |
| 40 | approval, the provider shall notify clients of any necessary |
| 41 | discharge or transfer as required by authorizing statutes or |
| 42 | applicable rules. The beginning of the inactive license period |
| 43 | is the date the provider ceases operations. The end of the |
| 44 | inactive license period shall become the license expiration |
| 45 | date. All licensure fees must be current, must be paid in full, |
| 46 | and may be prorated. Reactivation of an inactive license |
| 47 | requires the approval of a renewal application, including |
| 48 | payment of licensure fees and agency inspections indicating |
| 49 | compliance with all requirements of this part, authorizing |
| 50 | statutes, and applicable rules. |
| 51 | Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |