(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), the licensee of each skilled nursing or intermediate care facility shall notify, in writing, all patients for whom the facility’s services are not reimbursed pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or such patient’s responsible agent, of any scheduled room rate increase at least 30 calendar days in advance of the increase.
(b) The licensee need not delay rate increases in order to provide the notice prescribed by subdivision (a) during any period when such delay would result in a loss to the facility of Medi-Cal reimbursement revenues available to it under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code due to increases in allowable Medi-Cal reimbursement rates (1) implemented by emergency regulation or (2) made retroactive. In such cases, the licensee shall provide the notice as many days in advance as is possible without loss of Medi-Cal revenues or, if not possible without Medi-Cal revenue losses, at the time of effectuating the rate increase. Nothing contained in this subdivision shall be construed as authorizing retroactive room rate increases for facility services to patients that are not reimbursed under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(Added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 891.)