FL S7048

Extends the moratorium on nursing home certificates of need from July 1, 2011 to July 1, 2016, preventing approval of applications for additional community nursing home beds during this period.

Allows the Agency for Health Care Administration to automatically approve nursing home requests to reduce annual Medicaid patient days by up to 15 percent in counties with long-term care diversion programs or integrated Medicaid delivery programs, with requests limited to once every 2 years, extended through July 1, 2016.

Exempts nursing homes in counties with populations up to 50,000 from the moratorium if adding no more than 10 beds or 10 percent of currently licensed beds, whichever is greater, and meeting occupancy and deficiency requirements.

Requires facilities seeking exemption to certify no Class I or II deficiencies within 30 months of request (or since initial licensure if less than 30 months old) and maintain a prior 12-month occupancy rate of at least 94 percent for facilities licensed 24 months or longer, or a 6-month occupancy rate of 94 percent for newer facilities.