Rhode Island Code of Regulations › Title 216 - Department of health › Chapter 40 - Professional licensing and facility regulation › Subchapter 10 - Facility regulation › Part 1 - Licensing of Nursing Facilities › Section 216-RICR-40-10-1.9 - Change of Ownership, Operation and/or Location

Current through June 14, 2024
A.
				  When a change of ownership, as defined in Part 22 of this Subchapter,
				  Determination of Need for New Health Care Equipment and New Institutional
				  Health Care Services, or in operation or location of a nursing facility or when
				  discontinuation of services is contemplated the owner and/or operator shall
				  notify the licensing agency in writing no later than six (6) weeks prior to the
				  proposed action.
B. A license shall
				  immediately become void and shall be returned to the licensing agency when
				  operation of the nursing facility is discontinued, or when any changes in
				  ownership occur in accordance with Part 22 of this Subchapter, Determination of
				  Need for New Health Care Equipment and New Institutional Health Care
				  Services.
C. When there is a change
				  in ownership as defined in Part 22 of this Subchapter, Determination of Need
				  for New Health Care Equipment and New Institutional Health Care Services, or in
				  the operation or control of an existing nursing facility, the licensing agency
				  reserves the right to extend the expiration date of such license, allowing the
				  nursing facility to operate under the same conditions which applied to the
				  prior operator, for such time as shall be required for the processing of a new
				  application or for transfer of residents, not to exceed six (6) weeks.
1. The licensing agency shall be notified
				  immediately when a licensee/owner determines to cease operations and close a
				  nursing facility. A meeting shall be conducted with the licensing agency and
				  prior to notice or notification to residents and the public to ensure there is
				  a formal and comprehensive plan for an orderly closure, sixty (60) days' notice
				  to residents, their guardian, or relative so appointed or elected to be his or
				  her decision maker, and the safe, orderly discharge and transfer of
				  residents.
2. The nursing facility
				  closure plan shall include, but is not limited to, the following:
a. Letter of intent and/or determining
				  factors/justification for the closure (i.e., voluntary, financial) to include:
(1) Proposed closure date;
(2) Contact information for staff member
				  responsible for implementing the closure plan;
(3) Projected fiscal management plan covering
				  operations during the closure period.
b. Staffing plan(s)
(1) By unit/program/location;
(2) Time line for individual closures of any
				  unit/program/service location;
(3)
				  Staff scale-down process as appropriate given planned transition/reduction of
				  patients/residents.
c.
				  Plans for providing notification and estimated implementation of notices
(1) Notice to third (3rd) party payers (i.e.,
				  Medicare/Medicaid);
(2) Notice to
				  Accreditation entities - where appropriate;
(3) Notice to staff/union - meeting
				  date(s);
(4) Public
				  notice;
(5) Community/public
				  meetings - if appropriate and/or planned.
d. Storage/access to medical records
(1) Location for self-storage; or
(2) Company/agency providing contract storage
				  services.