Part VII. New Nursing Home Bed Review Process
12VAC5-220-325. Applicability.
The following categories of projects as determined by the State Health Commissioner shall be subject to the nursing home bed review process when they involve an increase in the number of nursing home facility beds in Virginia. (For Continuing Care Retirement Community nursing home beds, see Part V (12VAC5-220-170 et seq.) of this chapter.)
1. The establishment of a nursing home, intermediate care facility, or extended care facility, except when such nursing home, intermediate care facility, or extended care facility is proposed by a continuing care retirement community and the project is sponsored by a continuing care provider registered with the State Corporation Commission pursuant to Chapter 49 (§ 38.2-4900 et seq.) of Title 38.2 of the Code of Virginia.
2. An increase in the total number of beds in an existing or authorized nursing home, intermediate care facility, or extended care facility, except when the nursing home, intermediate care facility, or extended care facility is a component of a continuing care retirement community and the project is sponsored by a continuing care provider registered with the State Corporation Commission pursuant to Chapter 49 (§ 38.2-4900 et seq.) of Title 38.2 of the Code of Virginia.
3. An increase in the total number of nursing home beds, intermediate care facility beds, or extended care facility beds in an existing or authorized medical care facility which is not a dedicated nursing home, intermediate care facility, or extended care facility.
4. The introduction into any existing medical care facility of any new nursing home service such as intermediate care facility services, extended care facility services or skilled nursing facility services except when such medical care facility is an existing nursing home as defined in § 32.1-123 of the Code of Virginia.
Statutory Authority
§§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-102.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997.
12VAC5-220-330. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR355-30-000 § 7.2, eff. June 30, 1993; amended, Virginia Register Volume 10, Issue 17, eff. June 15, 1994; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997.
12VAC5-220-335. Request for Applications (RFA).
Pursuant to § 32.1-102.3:2 A, B, and C of the Code of Virginia, the commissioner shall periodically issue a Request for Applications (RFA). An RFA shall be issued at least annually.
A RFA from project applicants proposing projects which would result in an increase in the number of beds are provided shall be based on analyses of the need for increases in the bed supply in each of Virginia's planning districts in accordance with the applicable standards included in the State Medical Facilities Plan. Such RFAs shall also include a schedule for the review of applications submitted in response to the RFA which allows for at least 120 days between the day on which the RFA is issued and the first day of the review cycle for such applications.
Statutory Authority
§§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-102.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997; amended, Virginia Register Volume 26, Issue 2, eff. November 1, 2009.
12VAC5-220-340. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR355-30-000 § 7.3, eff. June 30, 1993; amended, Virginia Register Volume 10, Issue 17, eff. June 15, 1994; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997.
12VAC5-220-345. Limitation on acceptance of RFA applications.
Applications for projects listed in § 32.1-102.3:2 A, B, and C of the Code of Virginia shall only be accepted for review when properly filed in response to a RFA. Furthermore, the commissioner shall only accept for review applications which propose projects located in the planning districts from which applications are requested in the RFA and propose authorization of a number of new beds are provided which is less than or equal to the total number of beds identified as needed for the planning district in which the project will be located.
Statutory Authority
§§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-102.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997; amended, Virginia Register Volume 26, Issue 2, eff. November 1, 2009.
12VAC5-220-350. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR355-30-000 § 7.4, eff. June 30, 1993; amended, Virginia Register Volume 10, Issue 17, eff. June 15, 1994; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997.
12VAC5-220-355. RFA project application forms.
A. Letter of intent. A RFA project applicant shall file a letter of intent with the commissioner to request appropriate application forms, and submit a copy of that letter to the appropriate regional health planning agency by the letter of intent deadline specified in the RFA. The letter shall identify the owner, the type of project for which an application is requested, and the proposed scope (size) and location of the proposed project. The department shall transmit application forms to the applicant within seven days of the receipt of the letter of intent. A letter of intent filed with the department shall be considered void if an application is not filed for the project by the application deadline specified in the RFA.
B. Application fees. The department shall collect application fees for RFA applications that request a certificate of public need. The fee required for an application is 1.0% of the proposed capital expenditure for the project but no less than $1,000 and no more than $20,000. No application will be deemed to be complete for review until the required application fee is paid.
C. Filing application forms. Applications must be submitted to the department and the appropriate regional health planning agency by the application filing deadline specified in the RFA. In order to verify the department and the appropriate regional health planning agency's receipt of the application, the applicant shall transmit the document electronically, or prepare in triplicate two copies to be submitted to the department and one copy to be submitted to the appropriate regional health planning agency and sent by certified mail or a delivery service, return receipt requested, or by hand, with a signed receipt to be provided. No application shall be deemed to have been submitted until required copies have been received by the department and the appropriate regional health planning agency.
Statutory Authority
§§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-102.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997; amended, Virginia Register Volume 19, Issue 8, eff. February 3, 2003; Volume 26, Issue 2, eff. November 1, 2009.
12VAC5-220-360. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR355-30-000 § 8.1, eff. June 30, 1993; amended, Virginia Register Volume 10, Issue 17, eff. June 15, 1994; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997.
12VAC5-220-365. Review for completeness.
The applicant shall be notified by the department within 15 days following receipt of the application if additional information is required to complete the application or the application is complete as submitted. No application shall be reviewed until the department has determined that it is complete. To be complete, all questions and information items requested on the application must be completely addressed and the application fee submitted. Additional information required to complete an application shall be submitted to the department and the appropriate regional health planning agency at least five days prior to the first day of the review cycle, as specified in the RFA, to be considered in the review cycle.
Statutory Authority
§§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-102.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997.
12VAC5-220-370. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR355-30-000 § 9.1, eff. June 30, 1993; amended, Virginia Register Volume 10, Issue 17, eff. June 15, 1994; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997.
12VAC5-220-375. Consideration of RFA applications.
RFA applications proposed for the same planning district shall be considered as competing applications by the commissioner. The commissioner shall determine whether an application is competing and provide written notification to the competing applicants and the regional health planning agency.
Statutory Authority
§§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-102.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997; amended, Virginia Register Volume 26, Issue 2, eff. November 1, 2009.
12VAC5-220-380. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR355-30-000 § 9.2, eff. June 30, 1993; amended, Virginia Register Volume 10, Issue 17, eff. June 15, 1994; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997.
12VAC5-220-385. Review of complete application.
A. Review cycle. The department shall provide written notification to applicants specifying the acceptance date and review schedule of completed applications, including the date for any informal fact-finding conference that may be held between the eightieth and ninetieth day of the review cycle. The regional health planning agency shall conduct no more than two meetings, one of which must be a public hearing conducted by the regional health planning agency board or a subcommittee of the board and provide applicants with an opportunity, prior to the vote, to respond to any comments made about the project by the regional health planning agency staff, any information in a staff report, the comments of the local governing bodies in the health planning district, all other public comments, or comments by those voting in completing its review and recommendation by the sixtieth day of the cycle. By the seventieth day of the review cycle, the department shall complete its review and recommendation of an application and transmit the same to the applicant or applicants and other appropriate persons. By the seventy-fifth day of the review cycle, the department shall transmit to the applicants and other appropriate persons, its determination whether an informal fact-finding conference is necessary.
An informal fact-finding conference shall be held when (i) determined necessary by the department or (ii) requested by any person seeking to demonstrate good cause. Any person seeking to demonstrate good cause shall file, no later than four days after the department has completed its review and recommendation of an application and has transmitted the same to the applicants and to persons who have prior to the issuance of the report requested a copy in writing, written notification with the commissioner, applicant or applicants and other competing applicants, and regional health planning agency stating the grounds for good cause and providing the factual basis therefor under oath.
For purposes of this section, "good cause" means that (i) there is significant, relevant information not previously presented at and not available at the time of the public hearing, (ii) there have been significant changes in factors or circumstances relating to the application subsequent to the public hearing, or (iii) there is a substantial material mistake of fact or law in the department staff's report on the application or in the report submitted by the regional health planning agency. (See § 32.1-102.6 of the Code of Virginia.)
B. Time period for review. The review period shall begin on the first day of the applicable review cycle within which an application is determined to be complete, in accordance with scheduled batch review cycles described in 12VAC5-220-200. If the application is not determined to be complete for the applicable batch cycle within 40 calendar days from the date of submission, the application may be refiled in the next applicable batch cycle.
If the regional health planning agency has not completed its review by the sixtieth day of the review cycle, or such other period in accordance with the applicant's request for extension, and submitted its recommendation within ten calendar days after the completion of its review, the department shall, on the eleventh day after expiration of the regional health planning agency's review period, proceed as if the regional health planning agency has recommended approval of the proposed project.
In any case in which an informal fact-finding conference is not held, the project record shall be closed on the earlier of (i) the date established for holding the informal fact-finding conference or (ii) the date that the department determines that an informal fact-finding conference is not necessary. See 12VAC5 220-230 A.
In any case in which an informal fact-finding conference is held, a date shall be established for closing of the record which shall not be more than 30 calendar days after the date for holding the informal fact-finding conference.
C. Determination by the commissioner. If a determination whether a public need exists for a project is not made by the commissioner within 45 calendar days of the closing of the record, the commissioner shall notify the applicant or applicants and any person seeking to show good cause, in writing, that the application or the applications of each shall be deemed approved 25 calendar days after the expiration of such 45-calendar-day period, unless the receipt of recommendations from the person performing the hearing officer functions permits the commissioner to issue his case decision within that 25-calendar-day period. The validity or timeliness of the aforementioned notice shall not, in any event, prevent, delay or otherwise impact the effectiveness of this section.
In any case when a determination whether a public need exists for a project is not made by the commissioner within 70 calendar days after closing of the record, the application shall be deemed approved and a certificate shall be granted.
If a determination whether a public need for a project exists is not made by the commissioner within 45 calendar days of the closing of the record, any applicant who is competing in the relevant batch review cycle or who has filed an application in response to the relevant Request for Applications issued pursuant to 12VAC5-220-355 may, prior to the application being deemed approved petition for immediate injunctive relief pursuant to § 2.2-4030 of the Code of Virginia, naming as respondents the commissioner and all parties to the case. During the pendency of proceeding, no applications shall be deemed to be approved. In such a proceeding, the provisions of § 2.2-4030 of the Code of Virginia shall apply.
Deemed approvals shall be construed as the commissioner's case decision on the application pursuant to the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia) and shall be subject to judicial review on appeal as the commissioner's case decision in accordance with such act.
Any person who has sought to participate in the department's review of such deemed-to-be-approved application as a person showing good cause who has not received a final determination from the commissioner concerning such attempt to show good cause petition prior to the date on which the application was approved, shall be deemed to be a person showing good cause for purposes of appeal of a deemed-to-be-approved certificate.
In any appeal of the commissioner's case decision granting a certificate of public need pursuant to a Request for Applications issued pursuant to § 32.1-102.3:2 of the Code of Virginia, the court may require the appellant to file a bond pursuant to § 8.01-676.1 of the Code of Virginia, in such sum as shall be fixed by the court for protection of all parties interested in the case decision, conditioned on the payment of all damages and costs incurred in consequence of such appeal.
The applicants, and only the applicants, shall have the authority to extend any of the time periods for review of the application, which are specified in 12VAC5-220-230. If all applicants consent to extending any time period in this section, the commissioner, with the concurrence of the applicants, shall establish a new schedule for the remaining time periods.
D. Regional health planning agency required notifications. Upon notification of the acceptance date of a complete application as set forth in subsection A of this section, the regional health planning agency shall provide written notification of its review schedule to the applicant. The regional health planning agency shall notify the local governing bodies in the planning district, health care providers and specifically identifiable consumer groups who may be affected by the proposed project directly by mail and shall also give notice of the public hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in such county or city wherein a project is proposed or a contiguous county or city at least nine days prior to such public hearing. Such notification by the regional health planning agency shall include: (i) the date and location of the public hearing which shall be conducted on the application except as otherwise provided in this chapter, in the county or city wherein a project is proposed or a contiguous county or city; and (ii) the date, time and place the final recommendation of the regional health planning agency shall be made. The regional health planning agency shall maintain a verbatim record of the public hearing that includes any comments of the local governing bodies of the health planning district and all other public comments. A copy of the verbatim record shall be provided to the department. Such public hearing record shall be maintained for at least a one-year time period following the final decision on a certificate of public need application. See definition of "public hearing."
E. Ex parte contact. After commencement of a public hearing and before a final decision is made, there shall be no ex parte contacts between the State Health Commissioner and any person acting on behalf of the applicant or holder of a certificate or any person opposed to the issuance or in favor of revocation of a certificate of public need, unless written notification has been provided. See definition of "ex parte."
Statutory Authority
§§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-102.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997; amended, Virginia Register Volume 14, Issue 12, eff. April 2, 1998; Volume 19, Issue 8, eff. February 3, 2003; Volume 20, Issue 26, eff. September 27, 2004.
12VAC5-220-390. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR355-30-000 § 10.1, eff. June 30, 1993; amended, Virginia Register Volume 10, Issue 17, eff. June 15, 1994; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997.
12VAC5-220-395. Participation by other persons.
Any person affected by a proposed project under review may directly submit written opinions, data and other information to the appropriate regional health planning agency and the commissioner for consideration prior to their final action.
Statutory Authority
§§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-102.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997.
12VAC5-220-400. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR355-30-000 § 10.2, eff. June 30, 1993; amended, Virginia Register Volume 10, Issue 17, eff. June 15, 1994; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997.
12VAC5-220-405. Amendment to an application.
The applicant shall have the right to amend an application at any time. Any amendment which is made to an application following the public hearing and prior to the issuance of a certificate unless otherwise specified in this chapter shall constitute a new application and shall be subject to the review requirements set forth in this part of this chapter. If such amendment is made subsequent to the issuance of a certificate of public need, it shall be reviewed in accordance with 12VAC5-220-130.
Statutory Authority
§§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-102.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997.
12VAC5-220-410. Withdrawal of an application.
The applicant shall have the right to withdraw an application from consideration at any time without prejudice by written notification to the commissioner.
Statutory Authority
§§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-102.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997.
12VAC5-220-420. Action on an application.
A. Commission's responsibility. Decisions as to approval or disapproval of applications or a portion thereof for certificates of public need shall be rendered by the commissioner. Any decision to issue or approve the issuance of a certificate shall be consistent with the most recent applicable provisions of the State Medical Facilities Plan. However, if the commissioner finds, upon presentation of appropriate evidence, that the provisions of such plan are not relevant to a rural locality's needs, inaccurate, outdated, inadequate or otherwise inapplicable, the commissioner, consistent with such finding, may issue or approve the issuance of a certificate and shall initiate procedures to make appropriate amendments to such plan.
The commissioner may condition the approval of an application for a project (i) on the agreement by the applicant to provide an acceptable level of care at a reduced rate to indigents or, (ii) on the agreement of the applicant to provide care to persons with special needs, or (iii) upon the agreement of the applicant to facilitate the development and operation of primary medical care services in designated medically underserved areas of the applicant's service area. The terms of such agreements shall be specified in writing prior to the commissioner's decision to approve a project. Any person willfully refusing, failing or neglecting to honor such agreements shall be subject to a civil penalty of $100 per violation per day from the date of receipt from the department of written notice of noncompliance until the date of compliance. Upon information and belief that a person has failed to honor such agreement in accordance with this provision, the department shall notify the person in writing and 15 days shall be provided for a response in writing including a plan for immediate correction. In the absence of an adequate response or necessary compliance or both, a judicial action shall be initiated in accordance with the provisions of § 32.1-27 of the Code of Virginia.
B. Notification process – extension of review time. The commissioner shall make a final determination on an application for a certificate of public need and provide written notification detailing the reasons for such determination to the applicant with a copy to the regional health planning agency within the time frames specified in 12VAC5-220-385 B unless an authorization is given by the applicants to extend the time period. Such written notification shall also reference the factors and bases considered in making a decision on the application and, if applicable, the remedies available for appeal of such decision and the progress reporting requirements. The commissioner may approve a portion of a project provided the portion to be approved is agreed to by the applicant following consultation, which may be subject to the ex parte provision of this chapter, between the commissioner and the applicant.
Statutory Authority
§§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-102.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 7, eff. January 24, 1997; amended, Virginia Register Volume 19, Issue 8, eff. February 3, 2003.