Long Term Care Facilities
Change Notification

Change of Ownership or Location

A change of ownership (sale, whether of stock, title or assets, lease, discontinuance of operations) or premises terminates the license.  An initial application is required.

The Department must be notified in writing within five working days when a facility is sold, leased, discontinued or moved to a new location.

Change in Capacity

Bed change rules apply to all certified beds. Certified beds are beds certified to participate in the Medicare and/or Medicaid program (Skilled Nursing Facility [SNF-Medicare], Nursing Facility [NF-Medicaid], Skilled Nursing Facility/Nursing Facility [SNF/NF-Medicare/Medicaid]).

If a facility has an existing SNF and/or SNF/NF agreement, it may elect to change the number of beds that are certified to participate in the Medicare and/or Medicaid program up to two times per cost reporting year. Where a change in the size of a SNF also impacts the size of a NF, or vice versa, this represents one change for the SNF and one change for the NF (making two changes for the cost reporting year). A facility may only change the bed size of its SNF and/or NF once on the first day of the beginning of its cost reporting year and again on the first day of a single cost reporting quarter within that same cost reporting year.

• At no time can two decreases in the bed size of a facility be approved within the same cost reporting year.
• Only ONE change in bed size may be submitted at a time.
• A change in bed size may not be requested just because there is a change of ownership (CHOW).
• A change in bed size may not be requested because the facility has been approved to change its cost reporting year.
• A change in the number of beds cannot occur on a retroactive basis.

Requirements for filing bed change requests:

• Submit a written request 45 days prior to the effective date (first day of cost reporting year or cost reporting quarter);
• Indicate the cost reporting year of the facility;
• Attach a floor plan identifying all areas of the facility with the current certified bed configuration (including room numbers and number of beds in each room) and the proposed certified bed configuration;
• Submit the above information to:

Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
    Regulation and Licensure
Licensing & Regulatory Affairs
Long Term Care Facilities
PO Box 94986
Lincoln, NE 68509-4986

Exceptions to the rule may be allowed if:

• The request is to reduce beds to avoid being out of compliance with Life Safety Code requirements;
• Not all beds in the facility are certified to participate in the Medicare and/or Medicaid program, and the facility decides to include all beds in the Medicare and/or Medicaid program;
• If the facility requests an increase because of new construction, purchase or lease.

A facility may change the location of designated beds as long as there is no change in the number of beds certified to participate in the Medicare and/or Medicaid program, by submitting a written request to the State Agency 30 days in advance of such change.

Questions regarding how this affects the 85% rule for Medicaid certified beds should be directed to Dale Shallenberger at (402) 471-9250.

New Construction

If new construction is planned, construction plans must be submitted for Department approval prior to any new construction. The Department may accept certification from an architect or engineer in lieu of Department review.

Change of Administrator

The Department must be notified in writing within 5 working days when:

• a vacancy in the administrator position occurs including who will be responsible for the position duties until another administrator is appointed.
• the vacancy of the administrator position is filled including the effective date and name of the person appointed.

Change of Facility Name

The Department must be notified in writing within 5 working days when a facility has a change in name.