Bill > S1482

This bill creates an exemption from a certificate-of-need requirement, which is a state-level approval process for building or expanding healthcare facilities, for the construction of a licensed skilled nursing facility within a retirement community. To qualify for this exemption, the retirement community must be located in a county where at least 25% of the population is aged 65 or older, and the county must have no more than 16.1 licensed skilled nursing home beds per thousand elderly residents, based on the agency's most recent data. Additionally, the retirement community must be zoned for mixed residential and non-residential uses, have deed-restricted housing for older persons, and a population of at least 8,000 residents. The number of new beds allowed is calculated based on a future projection of the county's elderly population and existing bed capacity, ensuring the county remains at or below the 16.1 beds per thousand rate. The retirement community must submit a written request with supporting evidence, and the number of beds added cannot exceed 240 in any single community, with the facility needing to be certified by both Medicare and Medicaid programs. This exemption will only permit one skilled nursing facility per retirement community.