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Sec. 17b-340. (Formerly Sec. 17-314). Rates of payment to nursing homes, chronic disease hospitals associated with chronic and convalescent homes, rest homes with nursing supervision, residential care

      Sec. 17b-340. (Formerly Sec. 17-314). Rates of payment to nursing homes, chronic disease hospitals associated with chronic and convalescent homes, rest homes with nursing supervision, residential care homes and residential facilities for the mentally retarded. (a) The rates to be paid by or for persons aided or cared for by the state or any town in this state to licensed chronic and convalescent nursing homes, to chronic disease hospitals associated with chronic and convalescent nursing homes, to rest homes with nursing supervision, to licensed residential care homes, as defined by section 19a-490, and to residential facilities for the mentally retarded which are licensed pursuant to section 17a-227 and certified to participate in the Title XIX Medicaid program as intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded, for room, board and services specified in licensing regulations issued by the licensing agency shall be determined annually, except as otherwise provided in this subsection, after a public hearing, by the Commissioner of Social Services, to be effective July first of each year except as otherwise provided in this subsection. Such rates shall be determined on a basis of a reasonable payment for such necessary services, which basis shall take into account as a factor the costs of such services. Cost of such services shall include reasonable costs mandated by collective bargaining agreements with certified collective bargaining agents or other agreements between the employer and employees, provided "employees" shall not include persons employed as managers or chief administrators or required to be licensed as nursing home administrators, and compensation for services rendered by proprietors at prevailing wage rates, as determined by application of principles of accounting as prescribed by said commissioner. Cost of such services shall not include amounts paid by the facilities to employees as salary, or to attorneys or consultants as fees, where the responsibility of the employees, attorneys, or consultants is to persuade or seek to persuade the other employees of the facility to support or oppose unionization. Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit inclusion of amounts paid for legal counsel related to the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, the settlement of grievances or normal administration of labor relations. The commissioner may, in his discretion, allow the inclusion of extraordinary and unanticipated costs of providing services which were incurred to avoid an immediate negative impact on the health and safety of patients. The commissioner may, in his discretion, based upon review of a facility's costs, direct care staff to patient ratio and any other related information, revise a facility's rate for any increases or decreases to total licensed capacity of more than ten beds or changes to its number of licensed rest home with nursing supervision beds and chronic and convalescent nursing home beds. The commissioner may so revise a facility's rate established for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1993, and thereafter for any bed increases, decreases or changes in licensure effective after October 1, 1989. Effective July 1, 1991, in facilities which have both a chronic and convalescent nursing home and a rest home with nursing supervision, the rate for the rest home with nursing supervision shall not exceed such facility's rate for its chronic and convalescent nursing home. All such facilities for which rates are determined under this subsection shall report on a fiscal year basis ending on the thirtieth day of September. Such report shall be submitted to the commissioner by the thirty-first day of December. The commissioner may reduce the rate in effect for a facility which fails to report on or before such date by an amount not to exceed ten per cent of such rate. The commissioner shall annually, on or before the fifteenth day of February, report the data contained in the reports of such facilities to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations. For the cost reporting year commencing October 1, 1985, and for subsequent cost reporting years, facilities shall report the cost of using the services of any nursing pool employee by separating said cost into two categories, the portion of the cost equal to the salary of the employee for whom the nursing pool employee is substituting shall be considered a nursing cost and any cost in excess of such salary shall be further divided so that seventy-five per cent of the excess cost shall be considered an administrative or general cost and twenty-five per cent of the excess cost shall be considered a nursing cost, provided if the total nursing pool costs of a facility for any cost year are equal to or exceed fifteen per cent of the total nursing expenditures of the facility for such cost year, no portion of nursing pool costs in excess of fifteen per cent shall be classified as administrative or general costs. The commissioner, in determining such rates, shall also take into account the classification of patients or boarders according to special care requirements or classification of the facility according to such factors as facilities and services and such other factors as he deems reasonable, including anticipated fluctuations in the cost of providing such services. The commissioner may establish a separate rate for a facility or a portion of a facility for traumatic brain injury patients who require extensive care but not acute general hospital care. Such separate rate shall reflect the special care requirements of such patients. If changes in federal or state laws, regulations or standards adopted subsequent to June 30, 1985, result in increased costs or expenditures in an amount exceeding one-half of one per cent of allowable costs for the most recent cost reporting year, the commissioner shall adjust rates and provide payment for any such increased reasonable costs or expenditures within a reasonable period of time retroactive to the date of enforcement. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the Department of Social Services to adjust rates and provide payment for any increases in costs resulting from an inspection of a facility by the Department of Public Health. Such assistance as the commissioner requires from other state agencies or departments in determining rates shall be made available to him at his request. Payment of the rates established hereunder shall be conditioned on the establishment by such facilities of admissions procedures which conform with this section, section 19a-533 and all other applicable provisions of the law and the provision of equality of treatment to all persons in such facilities. The established rates shall be the maximum amount chargeable by such facilities for care of such beneficiaries, and the acceptance by or on behalf of any such facility of any additional compensation for care of any such beneficiary from any other person or source shall constitute the offense of aiding a beneficiary to obtain aid to which he is not entitled and shall be punishable in the same manner as is provided in subsection (b) of section 17b-97. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1992, rates for licensed residential care homes and intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded may receive an increase not to exceed the most recent annual increase in the Regional Data Resources Incorporated McGraw-Hill Health Care Costs: Consumer Price Index (all urban)-All Items. Rates for newly certified intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded shall not exceed one hundred fifty per cent of the median rate of rates in effect on January 31, 1991, for intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded certified prior to February 1, 1991. Notwithstanding any provision of this section, the Commissioner of Social Services may, within available appropriations, provide an interim rate increase for a licensed chronic and convalescent nursing home or a rest home with nursing supervision for rate periods no earlier than April 1, 2004, only if the commissioner determines that the increase is necessary to avoid the filing of a petition for relief under Title 11 of the United States Code; imposition of receivership pursuant to sections 19a-541 to 19a-549, inclusive; or substantial deterioration of the facility's financial condition that may be expected to adversely affect resident care and the continued operation of the facility, and the commissioner determines that the continued operation of the facility is in the best interest of the state. The commissioner shall consider any requests for interim rate increases on file with the department from March 30, 2004, and those submitted subsequently for rate periods no earlier than April 1, 2004. When reviewing a rate increase request the commissioner shall, at a minimum, consider: (1) Existing chronic and convalescent nursing home or rest home with nursing supervision utilization in the area and projected bed need; (2) physical plant long-term viability and the ability of the owner or purchaser to implement any necessary property improvements; (3) licensure and certification compliance history; (4) reasonableness of actual and projected expenses; and (5) the ability of the facility to meet wage and benefit costs. No rate shall be increased pursuant to this subsection in excess of one hundred fifteen per cent of the median rate for the facility's peer grouping, established pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (f) of this section, unless recommended by the commissioner and approved by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management after consultation with the commissioner. Such median rates shall be published by the Department of Social Services not later than April first of each year. In the event that a facility granted an interim rate increase pursuant to this section is sold or otherwise conveyed for value to an unrelated entity less than five years after the effective date of such rate increase, the rate increase shall be deemed rescinded and the department shall recover an amount equal to the difference between payments made for all affected rate periods and payments that would have been made if the interim rate increase was not granted. The commissioner may seek recovery from payments made to any facility with common ownership. With the approval of the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, the commissioner may waive recovery and rescission of the interim rate for good cause shown that is not inconsistent with this section, including, but not limited to, transfers to family members that were made for no value. The commissioner shall provide written quarterly reports to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies and to the select committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to aging, that identify each facility requesting an interim rate increase, the amount of the requested rate increase for each facility, the action taken by the commissioner and the secretary pursuant to this subsection, and estimates of the additional cost to the state for each approved interim rate increase. Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the commissioner from increasing the rate of a licensed chronic and convalescent nursing home or a rest home with nursing supervision for allowable costs associated with facility capital improvements or increasing the rate in case of a sale of a licensed chronic and convalescent nursing home or a rest home with nursing supervision, pursuant to subdivision (16) of subsection (f) of this section, if receivership has been imposed on such home.

      (b) The Commissioner of Social Services shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to specify other allowable services. For purposes of this section, other allowable services means those services required by any medical assistance beneficiary residing in such home or hospital which are not already covered in the rate set by the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.

      (c) No facility subject to the requirements of this section shall accept payment in excess of the rate set by the commissioner pursuant to subsection (a) of this section for any medical assistance patient from this or any other state. No facility shall accept payment in excess of the reasonable and necessary costs of other allowable services as specified by the commissioner pursuant to the regulations adopted under subsection (b) of this section for any public assistance patient from this or any other state. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, the commissioner may authorize a facility to accept payment in excess of the rate paid for a medical assistance patient in this state for a patient who receives medical assistance from another state.

      (d) In any instance where the Commissioner of Social Services finds that a facility subject to the requirements of this section is accepting payment for a medical assistance beneficiary in violation of subsection (c) of this section, the commissioner shall proceed to recover through the rate set for the facility any sum in excess of the stipulated per diem and other allowable costs, as provided for in regulations adopted pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section. The commissioner shall make the recovery prospectively at the time of the next annual rate redetermination.

      (e) Except as provided in this subsection, the provisions of subsections (c) and (d) of this section shall not apply to any facility subject to the requirements of this section, which on October 1, 1981, (1) was accepting payments from the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, (2) was accepting medical assistance payments from another state for at least twenty per cent of its patients, and (3) had not notified the commissioner of any intent to terminate its provider agreement, in accordance with section 17b-271, provided no patient residing in any such facility on May 22, 1984, shall be removed from such facility for purposes of meeting the requirements of this subsection. If the commissioner finds that the number of beds available to medical assistance patients from this state in any such facility is less than fifteen per cent the provisions of subsections (c) and (d) of this section shall apply to that number of beds which is less than said percentage.

      (f) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1992, the rates paid by or for persons aided or cared for by the state or any town in this state to facilities for room, board and services specified in licensing regulations issued by the licensing agency, except intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded and residential care homes, shall be based on the cost year ending September 30, 1989. For the fiscal years ending June 30, 1993, and June 30, 1994, such rates shall be based on the cost year ending September 30, 1990. Such rates shall be determined by the Commissioner of Social Services in accordance with this section and the regulations of Connecticut state agencies promulgated by the commissioner and in effect on April 1, 1991, except that:

      (1) Allowable costs shall be divided into the following five cost components: Direct costs, which shall include salaries for nursing personnel, related fringe benefits and nursing pool costs; indirect costs, which shall include professional fees, dietary expenses, housekeeping expenses, laundry expenses, supplies related to patient care, salaries for indirect care personnel and related fringe benefits; fair rent, which shall be defined in accordance with subsection (f) of section 17-311-52 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies; capital-related costs, which shall include property taxes, insurance expenses, equipment leases and equipment depreciation; and administrative and general costs, which shall include maintenance and operation of plant expenses, salaries for administrative and maintenance personnel and related fringe benefits. The commissioner may provide a rate adjustment for nonemergency transportation services required by nursing facility residents. Such adjustment shall be a fixed amount determined annually by the commissioner based upon a review of costs and other associated information. Allowable costs shall not include costs for ancillary services payable under Part B of the Medicare program.

      (2) Two geographic peer groupings of facilities shall be established for each level of care, as defined by the Department of Social Services for the determination of rates, for the purpose of determining allowable direct costs. One peer grouping shall be comprised of those facilities located in Fairfield County. The other peer grouping shall be comprised of facilities located in all other counties.

      (3) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1992, per diem maximum allowable costs for each cost component shall be as follows: For direct costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred forty per cent of the median allowable cost of that peer grouping; for indirect costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred thirty per cent of the state-wide median allowable cost; for fair rent, the amount shall be calculated utilizing the amount approved by the Office of Health Care Access pursuant to section 19a-638; for capital-related costs, there shall be no maximum; and for administrative and general costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred twenty-five per cent of the state-wide median allowable cost. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1993, per diem maximum allowable costs for each cost component shall be as follows: For direct costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred forty per cent of the median allowable cost of that peer grouping; for indirect costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred twenty-five per cent of the state-wide median allowable cost; for fair rent, the amount shall be calculated utilizing the amount approved by the Office of Health Care Access pursuant to section 19a-638; for capital-related costs, there shall be no maximum; and for administrative and general costs the maximum shall be equal to one hundred fifteen per cent of the state-wide median allowable cost. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1994, per diem maximum allowable costs for each cost component shall be as follows: For direct costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred thirty-five per cent of the median allowable cost of that peer grouping; for indirect costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred twenty per cent of the state-wide median allowable cost; for fair rent, the amount shall be calculated utilizing the amount approved by the Office of Health Care Access pursuant to section 19a-638; for capital-related costs, there shall be no maximum; and for administrative and general costs the maximum shall be equal to one hundred ten per cent of the state-wide median allowable cost. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1995, per diem maximum allowable costs for each cost component shall be as follows: For direct costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred thirty-five per cent of the median allowable cost of that peer grouping; for indirect costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred twenty per cent of the state-wide median allowable cost; for fair rent, the amount shall be calculated utilizing the amount approved by the Office of Health Care Access pursuant to section 19a-638; for capital-related costs, there shall be no maximum; and for administrative and general costs the maximum shall be equal to one hundred five per cent of the state-wide median allowable cost. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1996, and any succeeding fiscal year, except for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2000, and June 30, 2001, for facilities with an interim rate in one or both periods, per diem maximum allowable costs for each cost component shall be as follows: For direct costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred thirty-five per cent of the median allowable cost of that peer grouping; for indirect costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred fifteen per cent of the state-wide median allowable cost; for fair rent, the amount shall be calculated utilizing the amount approved pursuant to section 19a-638; for capital-related costs, there shall be no maximum; and for administrative and general costs the maximum shall be equal to the state-wide median allowable cost. For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2000, and June 30, 2001, for facilities with an interim rate in one or both periods, per diem maximum allowable costs for each cost component shall be as follows: For direct costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred forty-five per cent of the median allowable cost of that peer grouping; for indirect costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred twenty-five per cent of the state-wide median allowable cost; for fair rent, the amount shall be calculated utilizing the amount approved pursuant to section 19a-638; for capital-related costs, there shall be no maximum; and for administrative and general costs, the maximum shall be equal to the state-wide median allowable cost and such medians shall be based upon the same cost year used to set rates for facilities with prospective rates. Costs in excess of the maximum amounts established under this subsection shall not be recognized as allowable costs, except that the Commissioner of Social Services (A) may allow costs in excess of maximum amounts for any facility with patient days covered by Medicare, including days requiring coinsurance, in excess of twelve per cent of annual patient days which also has patient days covered by Medicaid in excess of fifty per cent of annual patient days; (B) may establish a pilot program whereby costs in excess of maximum amounts shall be allowed for beds in a nursing home which has a managed care program and is affiliated with a hospital licensed under chapter 368v; and (C) may establish rates whereby allowable costs may exceed such maximum amounts for beds approved on or after July 1, 1991, which are restricted to use by patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome or traumatic brain injury.

      (4) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1992, (A) no facility shall receive a rate that is less than the rate it received for the rate year ending June 30, 1991; (B) no facility whose rate, if determined pursuant to this subsection, would exceed one hundred twenty per cent of the state-wide median rate, as determined pursuant to this subsection, shall receive a rate which is five and one-half per cent more than the rate it received for the rate year ending June 30, 1991; and (C) no facility whose rate, if determined pursuant to this subsection, would be less than one hundred twenty per cent of the state-wide median rate, as determined pursuant to this subsection, shall receive a rate which is six and one-half per cent more than the rate it received for the rate year ending June 30, 1991. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1993, no facility shall receive a rate that is less than the rate it received for the rate year ending June 30, 1992, or six per cent more than the rate it received for the rate year ending June 30, 1992. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1994, no facility shall receive a rate that is less than the rate it received for the rate year ending June 30, 1993, or six per cent more than the rate it received for the rate year ending June 30, 1993. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1995, no facility shall receive a rate that is more than five per cent less than the rate it received for the rate year ending June 30, 1994, or six per cent more than the rate it received for the rate year ending June 30, 1994. For the fiscal years ending June 30, 1996, and June 30, 1997, no facility shall receive a rate that is more than three per cent more than the rate it received for the prior rate year. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1998, a facility shall receive a rate increase that is not more than two per cent more than the rate that the facility received in the prior year. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999, a facility shall receive a rate increase that is not more than three per cent more than the rate that the facility received in the prior year and that is not less than one per cent more than the rate that the facility received in the prior year, exclusive of rate increases associated with a wage, benefit and staffing enhancement rate adjustment added for the period from April 1, 1999, to June 30, 1999, inclusive. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, each facility, except a facility with an interim rate or replaced interim rate for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999, and a facility having a certificate of need or other agreement specifying rate adjustments for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, shall receive a rate increase equal to one per cent applied to the rate the facility received for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999, exclusive of the facility's wage, benefit and staffing enhancement rate adjustment. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, no facility with an interim rate, replaced interim rate or scheduled rate adjustment specified in a certificate of need or other agreement for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, shall receive a rate increase that is more than one per cent more than the rate the facility received in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, each facility, except a facility with an interim rate or replaced interim rate for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, and a facility having a certificate of need or other agreement specifying rate adjustments for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, shall receive a rate increase equal to two per cent applied to the rate the facility received for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, subject to verification of wage enhancement adjustments pursuant to subdivision (15) of this subsection. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, no facility with an interim rate, replaced interim rate or scheduled rate adjustment specified in a certificate of need or other agreement for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, shall receive a rate increase that is more than two per cent more than the rate the facility received for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002, each facility shall receive a rate that is two and one-half per cent more than the rate the facility received in the prior fiscal year. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003, each facility shall receive a rate that is two per cent more than the rate the facility received in the prior fiscal year, except that such increase shall be effective January 1, 2003, and such facility rate in effect for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002, shall be paid for services provided until December 31, 2002, except any facility that would have been issued a lower rate effective July 1, 2002, than for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department shall be issued such lower rate effective July 1, 2002, and have such rate increased two per cent effective June 1, 2003. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2004, rates in effect for the period ending June 30, 2003, shall remain in effect, except any facility that would have been issued a lower rate effective July 1, 2003, than for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department shall be issued such lower rate effective July 1, 2003. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, rates in effect for the period ending June 30, 2004, shall remain in effect until December 31, 2004, except any facility that would have been issued a lower rate effective July 1, 2004, than for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2004, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department shall be issued such lower rate effective July 1, 2004. Effective January 1, 2005, each facility shall receive a rate that is one per cent greater than the rate in effect December 31, 2004. Effective upon receipt of all the necessary federal approvals to secure federal financial participation matching funds associated with the rate increase provided in this subdivision, but in no event earlier than July 1, 2005, and provided the user fee imposed under section 17b-320 is required to be collected, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, the department shall compute the rate for each facility based upon its 2003 cost report filing or a subsequent cost year filing for facilities having an interim rate for the period ending June 30, 2005, as provided under section 17-311-55 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies. For each facility not having an interim rate for the period ending June 30, 2005, the rate for the period ending June 30, 2006, shall be determined beginning with the higher of the computed rate based upon its 2003 cost report filing or the rate in effect for the period ending June 30, 2005. Such rate shall then be increased by eleven dollars and eighty cents per day except that in no event shall the rate for the period ending June 30, 2006, be thirty-two dollars more than the rate in effect for the period ending June 30, 2005, and for any facility with a rate below one hundred ninety-five dollars per day for the period ending June 30, 2005, such rate for the period ending June 30, 2006, shall not be greater than two hundred seventeen dollars and forty-three cents per day and for any facility with a rate equal to or greater than one hundred ninety-five dollars per day for the period ending June 30, 2005, such rate for the period ending June 30, 2006, shall not exceed the rate in effect for the period ending June 30, 2005, increased by eleven and one-half per cent. For each facility with an interim rate for the period ending June 30, 2005, the interim replacement rate for the period ending June 30, 2006, shall not exceed the rate in effect for the period ending June 30, 2005, increased by eleven dollars and eighty cents per day plus the per day cost of the user fee payments made pursuant to section 17b-320 divided by annual resident service days, except for any facility with an interim rate below one hundred ninety-five dollars per day for the period ending June 30, 2005, the interim replacement rate for the period ending June 30, 2006, shall not be greater than two hundred seventeen dollars and forty-three cents per day and for any facility with an interim rate equal to or greater than one hundred ninety-five dollars per day for the period ending June 30, 2005, the interim replacement rate for the period ending June 30, 2006, shall not exceed the rate in effect for the period ending June 30, 2005, increased by eleven and one-half per cent. Such July 1, 2005, rate adjustments shall remain in effect unless (i) the federal financial participation matching funds associated with the rate increase are no longer available; or (ii) the user fee created pursuant to section 17b-320 is not in effect. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, each facility shall receive a rate that is three per cent greater than the rate in effect for the period ending June 30, 2006, except any facility that would have been issued a lower rate effective July 1, 2006, than for the rate period ending June 30, 2006, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department, shall be issued such lower rate effective July 1, 2006. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008, each facility shall receive a rate that is two and nine-tenths per cent greater than the rate in effect for the period ending June 30, 2007, except any facility that would have been issued a lower rate effective July 1, 2007, than for the rate period ending June 30, 2007, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department, shall be issued such lower rate effective July 1, 2007. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, rates in effect for the period ending June 30, 2008, shall remain in effect until June 30, 2009, except any facility that would have been issued a lower rate for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department shall be issued such lower rate. The Commissioner of Social Services shall add fair rent increases to any other rate increases established pursuant to this subdivision for a facility which has undergone a material change in circumstances related to fair rent. Interim rates may take into account reasonable costs incurred by a facility, including wages and benefits.

      (5) For the purpose of determining allowable fair rent, a facility with allowable fair rent less than the twenty-fifth percentile of the state-wide allowable fair rent shall be reimbursed as having allowable fair rent equal to the twenty-fifth percentile of the state-wide allowable fair rent, provided for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1996, and June 30, 1997, the reimbursement may not exceed the twenty-fifth percentile of the state-wide allowable fair rent for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1995. On and after July 1, 1998, the Commissioner of Social Services may allow minimum fair rent as the basis upon which reimbursement associated with improvements to real property is added. Beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1996, any facility with a rate of return on real property other than land in excess of eleven per cent shall have such allowance revised to eleven per cent. Any facility or its related realty affiliate which finances or refinances debt through bonds issued by the State of Connecticut Health and Education Facilities Authority shall report the terms and conditions of such financing or refinancing to the Commissioner of Social Services within thirty days of completing such financing or refinancing. The Commissioner of Social Services may revise the facility's fair rent component of its rate to reflect any financial benefit the facility or its related realty affiliate received as a result of such financing or refinancing, including but not limited to, reductions in the amount of debt service payments or period of debt repayment. The commissioner shall allow actual debt service costs for bonds issued by the State of Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority if such costs do not exceed property costs allowed pursuant to subsection (f) of section 17-311-52 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, provided the commissioner may allow higher debt service costs for such bonds for good cause. For facilities which first open on or after October 1, 1992, the commissioner shall determine allowable fair rent for real property other than land based on the rate of return for the cost year in which such bonds were issued. The financial benefit resulting from a facility financing or refinancing debt through such bonds shall be shared between the state and the facility to an extent determined by the commissioner on a case-by-case basis and shall be reflected in an adjustment to the facility's allowable fair rent.

      (6) A facility shall receive cost efficiency adjustments for indirect costs and for administrative and general costs if such costs are below the state-wide median costs. The cost efficiency adjustments shall equal twenty-five per cent of the difference between allowable reported costs and the applicable median allowable cost established pursuant to this subdivision.

      (7) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1992, allowable operating costs, excluding fair rent, shall be inflated using the Regional Data Resources Incorporated McGraw-Hill Health Care Costs: Consumer Price Index (all urban)-All Items minus one and one-half per cent. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1993, allowable operating costs, excluding fair rent, shall be inflated using the Regional Data Resources Incorporated McGraw-Hill Health Care Costs: Consumer Price Index (all urban)-All Items minus one and three-quarters per cent. For the fiscal years ending June 30, 1994, and June 30, 1995, allowable operating costs, excluding fair rent, shall be inflated using the Regional Data Resources Incorporated McGraw-Hill Health Care Costs: Consumer Price Index (all urban)-All Items minus two per cent. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1996, allowable operating costs, excluding fair rent, shall be inflated using the Regional Data Resources Incorporated McGraw-Hill Health Care Costs: Consumer Price Index (all urban)-All Items minus two and one-half per cent. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1997, allowable operating costs, excluding fair rent, shall be inflated using the Regional Data Resources Incorporated McGraw-Hill Health Care Costs: Consumer Price Index (all urban)-All Items minus three and one-half per cent. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1992, and any succeeding fiscal year, allowable fair rent shall be those reported in the annual report of long-term care facilities for the cost year ending the immediately preceding September thirtieth. The inflation index to be used pursuant to this subsection shall be computed to reflect inflation between the midpoint of the cost year through the midpoint of the rate year. The Department of Social Services shall study methods of reimbursement for fair rent and shall report its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services on or before January 15, 1993.

      (8) On and after July 1, 1994, costs shall be rebased no more frequently than every two years and no less frequently than every four years, as determined by the commissioner. The commissioner shall determine whether and to what extent a change in ownership of a facility shall occasion the rebasing of the facility's costs.

      (9) The method of establishing rates for new facilities shall be determined by the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of this subsection.

      (10) Rates determined under this section shall comply with federal laws and regulations.

      (11) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 1992, through June 30, 2007, one-half of the initial amount payable in June by the state to a facility pursuant to this subsection shall be paid to the facility in June and the balance of such amount shall be paid in July.

      (12) Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, interim rates issued for facilities on and after July 1, 1991, shall be subject to applicable fiscal year cost component limitations established pursuant to subdivision (3) of this subsection.

      (13) A chronic and convalescent nursing home having an ownership affiliation with and operated at the same location as a chronic disease hospital may request that the commissioner approve an exception to applicable rate-setting provisions for chronic and convalescent nursing homes and establish a rate for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1992, and June 30, 1993, in accordance with regulations in effect June 30, 1991. Any such rate shall not exceed one hundred sixty-five per cent of the median rate established for chronic and convalescent nursing homes established under this section for the applicable fiscal year.

      (14) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1994, and any succeeding fiscal year, for purposes of computing minimum allowable patient days, utilization of a facility's certified beds shall be determined at a minimum of ninety-five per cent of capacity, except for new facilities and facilities which are certified for additional beds which may be permitted a lower occupancy rate for the first three months of operation after the effective date of licensure.

      (15) The Commissioner of Social Services shall adjust facility rates from April 1, 1999, to June 30, 1999, inclusive, by a per diem amount representing each facility's allocation of funds appropriated for the purpose of wage, benefit and staffing enhancement. A facility's per diem allocation of such funding shall be computed as follows: (A) The facility's direct and indirect component salary, wage, nursing pool and allocated fringe benefit costs as filed for the 1998 cost report period deemed allowable in accordance with this section and applicable regulations without application of cost component maximums specified in subdivision (3) of this subsection shall be totalled; (B) such total shall be multiplied by the facility's Medicaid utilization based on the 1998 cost report; (C) the resulting amount for the facility shall be divided by the sum of the calculations specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this subdivision for all facilities to determine the facility's percentage share of appropriated wage, benefit and staffing enhancement funding; (D) the facility's percentage share shall be multiplied by the amount of appropriated wage, benefit and staffing enhancement funding to determine the facility's allocated amount; and (E) such allocated amount shall be divided by the number of days of care paid for by Medicaid on an annual basis including days for reserved beds specified in the 1998 cost report to determine the per diem wage and benefit rate adjustment amount. The commissioner may adjust a facility's reported 1998 cost and utilization data for the purposes of determining a facility's share of wage, benefit and staffing enhancement funding when reported 1998 information is not substantially representative of estimated cost and utilization data for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, due to special circumstances during the 1998 cost report period including change of ownership with a part year cost filing or reductions in facility capacity due to facility renovation projects. Upon completion of the calculation of the allocation of wage, benefit and staffing enhancement funding, the commissioner shall not adjust the allocations due to revisions submitted to previously filed 1998 annual cost reports. In the event that a facility's rate for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999, is an interim rate or the rate includes an increase adjustment due to a rate request to the commissioner or other reasons, the commissioner may reduce or withhold the per diem wage, benefit and staffing enhancement allocation computed for the facility. Any enhancement allocations not applied to facility rates shall not be reallocated to other facilities and such unallocated amounts shall be available for the costs associated with interim rates and other Medicaid expenditures. The wage, benefit and staffing enhancement per diem adjustment for the period from April 1, 1999, to June 30, 1999, inclusive, shall also be applied to rates for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2000, and June 30, 2001, except that the commissioner may increase or decrease the adjustment to account for changes in facility capacity or operations. Any facility accepting a rate adjustment for wage, benefit and staffing enhancements shall apply payments made as a result of such rate adjustment for increased allowable employee wage rates and benefits and additional direct and indirect component staffing. Adjustment funding shall not be applied to wage and salary increases provided to the administrator, assistant administrator, owners or related party employees. Enhancement payments may be applied to increases in costs associated with staffing purchased from staffing agencies provided such costs are deemed necessary and reasonable by the commissioner. The commissioner shall compare expenditures for wages, benefits and staffing for the 1998 cost report period to such expenditures in the 1999, 2000 and 2001 cost report periods to verify whether a facility has applied additional payments to specified enhancements. In the event that the commissioner determines that a facility did not apply additional payments to specified enhancements, the commissioner shall recover such amounts from the facility through rate adjustments or other means. The commissioner may require facilities to file cost reporting forms, in addition to the annual cost report, as may be necessary, to verify the appropriate application of wage, benefit and staffing enhancement rate adjustment payments. For the purposes of this subdivision, "Medicaid utilization" means the number of days of care paid for by Medicaid on an annual basis including days for reserved beds as a percentage of total resident days.

      (16) The interim rate established to become effective upon sale of any licensed chronic and convalescent home or rest home with nursing supervision for which a receivership has been imposed pursuant to sections 19a-541 to 19a-549, inclusive, shall not exceed the rate in effect for the facility at the time of the imposition of the receivership, subject to any annual increases permitted by this section; provided the Commissioner of Social Services may, in the commissioner's discretion, and after consultation with the receiver, establish an increased rate for the facility if the commissioner with approval of the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management determines that such higher rate is needed to keep the facility open and to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the residents at such facility.

      (g) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1993, any intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded with an operating cost component of its rate in excess of one hundred forty per cent of the median of operating cost components of rates in effect January 1, 1992, shall not receive an operating cost component increase. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1993, any intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded with an operating cost component of its rate that is less than one hundred forty per cent of the median of operating cost components of rates in effect January 1, 1992, shall have an allowance for real wage growth equal to thirty per cent of the increase determined in accordance with subsection (q) of section 17-311-52 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, provided such operating cost component shall not exceed one hundred forty per cent of the median of operating cost components in effect January 1, 1992. Any facility with real property other than land placed in service prior to October 1, 1991, shall, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1995, receive a rate of return on real property equal to the average of the rates of return applied to real property other than land placed in service for the five years preceding October 1, 1993. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1996, and any succeeding fiscal year, the rate of return on real property for property items shall be revised every five years. The commissioner shall, upon submission of a request, allow actual debt service, comprised of principal and interest, in excess of property costs allowed pursuant to section 17-311-52 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, provided such debt service terms and amounts are reasonable in relation to the useful life and the base value of the property. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1995, and any succeeding fiscal year, the inflation adjustment made in accordance with subsection (p) of section 17-311-52 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies shall not be applied to real property costs. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1996, and any succeeding fiscal year, the allowance for real wage growth, as determined in accordance with subsection (q) of section 17-311-52 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, shall not be applied. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1996, and any succeeding fiscal year, no rate shall exceed three hundred seventy-five dollars per day unless the commissioner, in consultation with the Commissioner of Developmental Services, determines after a review of program and management costs, that a rate in excess of this amount is necessary for care and treatment of facility residents. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002, rate period, the Commissioner of Social Services shall increase the inflation adjustment for rates made in accordance with subsection (p) of section 17-311-52 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies to update allowable fiscal year 2000 costs to include a three and one-half per cent inflation factor. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003, rate period, the commissioner shall increase the inflation adjustment for rates made in accordance with subsection (p) of section 17-311-52 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies to update allowable fiscal year 2001 costs to include a one and one-half per cent inflation factor, except that such increase shall be effective November 1, 2002, and such facility rate in effect for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002, shall be paid for services provided until October 31, 2002, except any facility that would have been issued a lower rate effective July 1, 2002, than for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department shall be issued such lower rate effective July 1, 2002, and have such rate updated effective November 1, 2002, in accordance with applicable statutes and regulations. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2004, rates in effect for the period ending June 30, 2003, shall remain in effect, except any facility that would have been issued a lower rate effective July 1, 2003, than for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department shall be issued such lower rate effective July 1, 2003. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, rates in effect for the period ending June 30, 2004, shall remain in effect until September 30, 2004. Effective October 1, 2004, each facility shall receive a rate that is five per cent greater than the rate in effect September 30, 2004. Effective upon receipt of all the necessary federal approvals to secure federal financial participation matching funds associated with the rate increase provided in subdivision (4) of subsection (f) of this section, but in no event earlier than October 1, 2005, and provided the user fee imposed under section 17b-320 is required to be collected, each facility shall receive a rate that is four per cent more than the rate the facility received in the prior fiscal year, except any facility that would have been issued a lower rate effective October 1, 2005, than for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department, shall be issued such lower rate effective October 1, 2005. Such rate increase shall remain in effect unless: (A) The federal financial participation matching funds associated with the rate increase are no longer available; or (B) the user fee created pursuant to section 17b-320 is not in effect. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, rates in effect for the period ending June 30, 2006, shall remain in effect until September 30, 2006, except any facility that would have been issued a lower rate effective July 1, 2006, than for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department, shall be issued such lower rate effective July 1, 2006. Effective October 1, 2006, no facility shall receive a rate that is more than three per cent greater than the rate in effect for the facility on September 30, 2006, except any facility that would have been issued a lower rate effective October 1, 2006, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department, shall be issued such lower rate effective October 1, 2006. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008, each facility shall receive a rate that is two and nine-tenths per cent greater than the rate in effect for the period ending June 30, 2007, except any facility that would have been issued a lower rate effective July 1, 2007, than for the rate period ending June 30, 2007, due to interim rate status, or agreement with the department, shall be issued such lower rate effective July 1, 2007. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, rates in effect for the period ending June 30, 2008, shall remain in effect until June 30, 2009, except any facility that would have been issued a lower rate for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department, shall be issued such lower rate.

      (h) (1) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1993, any residential care home with an operating cost component of its rate in excess of one hundred thirty per cent of the median of operating cost components of rates in effect January 1, 1992, shall not receive an operating cost component increase. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1993, any residential care home with an operating cost component of its rate that is less than one hundred thirty per cent of the median of operating cost components of rates in effect January 1, 1992, shall have an allowance for real wage growth equal to sixty-five per cent of the increase determined in accordance with subsection (q) of section 17-311-52 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, provided such operating cost component shall not exceed one hundred thirty per cent of the median of operating cost components in effect January 1, 1992. Beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1993, for the purpose of determining allowable fair rent, a residential care home with allowable fair rent less than the twenty-fifth percentile of the state-wide allowable fair rent shall be reimbursed as having allowable fair rent equal to the twenty-fifth percentile of the state-wide allowable fair rent. Beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1997, a residential care home with allowable fair rent less than three dollars and ten cents per day shall be reimbursed as having allowable fair rent equal to three dollars and ten cents per day. Property additions placed in service during the cost year ending September 30, 1996, or any succeeding cost year shall receive a fair rent allowance for such additions as an addition to three dollars and ten cents per day if the fair rent for the facility for property placed in service prior to September 30, 1995, is less than or equal to three dollars and ten cents per day. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1996, and any succeeding fiscal year, the allowance for real wage growth, as determined in accordance with subsection (q) of section 17-311-52 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, shall not be applied. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1996, and any succeeding fiscal year, the inflation adjustment made in accordance with subsection (p) of section 17-311-52 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies shall not be applied to real property costs. Beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1997, minimum allowable patient days for rate computation purposes for a residential care home with twenty-five beds or less shall be eighty-five per cent of licensed capacity. Beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002, for the purposes of determining the allowable salary of an administrator of a residential care home with sixty beds or less the department shall revise the allowable base salary to thirty-seven thousand dollars to be annually inflated thereafter in accordance with section 17-311-52 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies. The rates for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002, shall be based upon the increased allowable salary of an administrator, regardless of whether such amount was expended in the 2000 cost report period upon which the rates are based. Beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, the inflation adjustment for rates made in accordance with subsection (p) of section 17-311-52 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies shall be increased by two per cent, and beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002, the inflation adjustment for rates made in accordance with subsection (c) of said section shall be increased by one per cent. Beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999, for the purpose of determining the allowable salary of a related party, the department shall revise the maximum salary to twenty-seven thousand eight hundred fifty-six dollars to be annually inflated thereafter in accordance with section 17-311-52 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies and beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, such allowable salary shall be computed on an hourly basis and the maximum number of hours allowed for a related party other than the proprietor shall be increased from forty hours to forty-eight hours per work week. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, each facility shall receive a rate that is two and one-quarter per cent more than the rate the facility received in the prior fiscal year, except any facility that would have been issued a lower rate effective July 1, 2004, than for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2004, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department shall be issued such lower rate effective July 1, 2004. Effective upon receipt of all the necessary federal approvals to secure federal financial participation matching funds associated with the rate increase provided in subdivision (4) of subsection (f) of this section, but in no event earlier than October 1, 2005, and provided the user fee imposed under section 17b-320 is required to be collected, each facility shall receive a rate that is determined in accordance with applicable law and subject to appropriations, except any facility that would have been issued a lower rate effective October 1, 2005, than for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department, shall be issued such lower rate effective October 1, 2005. Such rate increase shall remain in effect unless: (A) The federal financial participation matching funds associated with the rate increase are no longer available; or (B) the user fee created pursuant to section 17b-320 is not in effect. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, rates in effect for the period ending June 30, 2006, shall remain in effect until September 30, 2006, except any facility that would have been issued a lower rate effective July 1, 2006, than for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department, shall be issued such lower rate effective July 1, 2006. Effective October 1, 2006, no facility shall receive a rate that is more than four per cent greater than the rate in effect for the facility on September 30, 2006, except for any facility that would have been issued a lower rate effective October 1, 2006, due to interim rate status or agreement with the department, shall be issued such lower rate effective October 1, 2006.

      (2) The commissioner shall, upon determining that a loan to be issued to a residential care home by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority is reasonable in relation to the useful life and property cost allowance pursuant to section 17-311-52 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, allow actual debt service, comprised of principal, interest and a repair and replacement reserve on the loan, in lieu of allowed property costs whether actual debt service is higher or lower than such allowed property costs.

      (i) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Commissioner of Social Services shall establish a fee schedule for payments to be made to chronic disease hospitals associated with chronic and convalescent nursing homes to be effective on and after July 1, 1995. The fee schedule may be adjusted annually beginning July 1, 1997, to reflect necessary increases in the cost of services.

      (1957, P.A. 336, S. 1; 1959, P.A. 98, S. 1; 1961, P.A. 474, S. 3; February, 1965, P.A. 237; P.A. 73-25, S. 3, 4; 73-117, S. 27, 31; P.A. 77-574, S. 5, 6; 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 79-560, S. 30, 39; P.A. 80-364, S. 4; P.A. 81-122; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-39, S. 14; P.A. 84-135, S. 2, 3; 84-360, S. 1; P.A. 85-524; 85-528; P.A. 87-27, S. 2; P.A. 88-156, S. 20; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-8, S. 17, 22, 61, 63; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-16, S. 29-31, 89; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; 93-381, S. 9, 39; 93-406, S. 3, 6; 93-418, S. 22, 33, 41; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-5, S. 12, 30; P.A. 95-160, S. 24, 69; 95-257, S. 12, 21, 39, 58; 95-351, S. 4, 30; P.A. 96-137; 96-139, S. 12, 13; 96-268, S. 13, 20, 34; P.A. 97-112, S. 2; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 127, 165; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-11, S. 50, 65; P.A. 98-156, S. 1, 2; 98-239, S. 25, 35; P.A. 99-279, S. 19-21, 45; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 00-2, S. 21, 53; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-2, S. 38, 52, 62, 69; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9, S. 95, 129, 131; P.A. 02-89, S. 32; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7, S. 17, 18; P.A. 03-2, S. 17; 03-19, S. 45; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3, S. 50; P.A. 04-5, S. 1; 04-16, S. 11; 04-258, S. 2; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 04-2, S. 86; P.A. 05-251, S. 81, 83, 84; 05-280, S. 49, 51; P.A. 06-188, S. 1-5; 06-196, S. 142; P.A. 07-73, S. 2(b); 07-209, S. 4; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-2, S. 11, 12, 22.)

      History: 1959 act included references to licensed homes for the aged and to boarders in such homes; 1961 act included rest homes with nursing supervision, replaced committee of various state officers with hospital cost commission, required public hearing before rates determined and required that rates consider costs of services, including compensation for services rendered by proprietors at prevailing wage rates as factor; 1965 act deleted obsolete provision for rates for licensed homes for aged when initially included in provisions, required that accounting principles be those prescribed by commission rather than "generally accepted", required homes and hospitals to report on fiscal year ending September 30 and included anticipated fluctuations in cost as factor in rate determination; P.A. 73-25 referred to Sec. 17-83i(b) rather than to Sec. 17-132; P.A. 73-117 replaced hospital cost commission with committee established under Sec. 17-311; P.A. 77-574 included costs mandated by collective bargaining agreements as factor in rate determination; P.A. 77-614 replaced department of health with department of health services, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-560 replaced committee with commissioner of income maintenance; P.A. 80-364 conditioned payment on admissions procedures conforming with law rather than on "priorities of accommodations for such beneficiaries as they become available"; P.A. 81-122 defined other allowable services and authorized the commissioner to adopt regulations to specify these services in new Subsec. (b) and added Subsecs. (c) and (d) prohibiting facilities from accepting payments in excess of the amount specified by the commissioner and providing a procedure for the recovery of any excess amounts; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-39 amended Subsec. (a)