California Code of Regulations › Title 22 - Social Security › Division 5 - Licensing and Certification of Health Facilities, Home Health Agencies, Clinics, and Referral Agencies › Chapter 4 - Intermediate Care Facilities › Article 4 - Administration › Section 73557 - Safeguards for Patients' Monies and Valuables

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
(a) Each facility to whom a patient's money
				  or valuables have been entrusted shall comply with the following:
(1) No licensee shall use patients' monies or
				  valuables as his own or mingle them with his own. Patients' monies and
				  valuables shall be separate, intact and free from any liability that the
				  licensee incurs in the use of his own or the institution's funds and
				  valuables.
(2) Each licensee shall
				  maintain adequate safeguards and accurate records of patients' monies and
				  valuables entrusted to his care.
(A) Records
				  of patients' monies which are maintained as a drawing account shall include a
				  control account for all receipts and expenditures, an account for each patient
				  and supporting vouchers filed in chronological order. Each account shall be
				  kept current with columns for debits, credits and balance.
(B) Records of patients' monies and other
				  valuables entrusted to the licensee for safekeeping shall include a copy of the
				  receipt furnished to the patient or to the person responsible for the
				  patient.
(3) Patients'
				  monies not kept in the facility shall be deposited in a demand trust account in
				  a local bank authorized to do business in California, the deposits of which are
				  insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, except that a facility
				  operated by a county may deposit such funds with the County
				  Treasurer.
(4) A person, firm,
				  partnership, association or corporation which is licensed to operate more than
				  one health facility shall maintain a separate demand trust account for each
				  such facility and shall not commingle patient funds from one facility with
				  another.
(5) When the amount of
				  patients' money entrusted to a licensee exceeds $500, all money in excess of
				  $500 shall be deposited in a demand trust account as specified in (3) and (4)
				  above unless a fireproof safe is provided for protection of monies and
				  valuables. If a fireproof safe is kept and the licensee desires the protection
				  accorded by Section
				  1860 of the
				  Civil Code, he shall give notice as provided by that section.
(6) Upon discharge of a patient, all money
				  and valuables of that patient which have been entrusted to the licensee shall
				  be surrendered to the patient in exchange for a signed receipt. Money and
				  valuables kept within the facility shall be surrendered upon demand and those
				  kept in a demand trust account or with the County Treasurer shall be made
				  available within three normal banking days.
(7) Within 30 days following the death of a
				  patient, except in a coroner or medical examiner case, all money and valuables
				  of that patient which have been entrusted to the licensee shall be surrendered
				  to the person responsible for the patient, or to the executor or the
				  administrator of the estate in exchange for a signed receipt. Whenever a
				  patient without a representative or known heirs dies, immediate written notice
				  thereof shall be given by the facility to the Public Administrator of the
				  county as specified by Section
				  1145 of the
				  California Probate Code and a copy of said notice shall be filed with the
				  Department.
(8) Upon change of
				  ownership of a facility, a written verification by a public accountant of all
				  patients' monies which are being transferred to the custody of the new owners
				  shall be obtained by the new owner in exchange for a signed
				  receipt.