Relating to private pay per diem rates at nursing facilities

This bill relates to private pay per diem rates at nursing facilities. The bill defines “per diem rate” (per diem) as the daily rate a nursing facility (facility) charges a private pay individual to reside in the facility pursuant to a contract executed by the facility and the private pay individual. The bill prohibits facilities from increasing a per diem by a percentage greater than the percentage change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers for the last available 12-month period published in the federal register by the federal bureau of labor statistics. Facilities cannot change a per diem within months of establishing the per diem or more than once in a consecutive 12-month period. A facility is ineligible to renew its license unless the facility is in compliance with the bill. The bill requires the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing (DIAL) to adopt rules to implement the bill. The rules must include but not be limited to requiring facilities to submit a list of each per diem charged by the facility to DIAL on an annual basis in a format approved by DIAL that does not disclose the identity of any private pay individual. The bill applies to per diems established or renewed on or after the bill’s effective date.