Section 1125.560  Variances to Computed Bed Need

a)         Continuum of Care

The applicant proposing a continuum of care project shall demonstrate the following:

1)         The project will provide a continuum of care for a geriatric population that includes independent living and/or congregate housing (such as unlicensed apartments, high rises for the elderly and retirement villages) and related health and social services.  The housing complex shall be on the same site as the health facility component of the project.

2)         The proposal shall be for the purposes of and serve only the residents of the housing complex and shall be developed either after the housing complex has been established or as a part of a total housing construction program, provided that the entire complex is one inseparable project, that there is a documented demand for the housing, and that the licensed beds will not be built first, but will be built concurrently with or after the residential units.

3)         The applicant shall demonstrate that:

A)        The proposed number of beds is needed.  Documentation shall consist of a list of available patients/residents needing the proposed project.  The proposed number of beds shall not exceed one licensed LTC bed for every five apartments or independent living units;

B)        There is a provision in the facility's written operational policies assuring that a resident of the retirement community who is transferred to the LTC facility will not lose his/her apartment unit or be transferred to another LTC facility solely because of the resident's altered financial status or medical indigency; and

C)        That admissions to the LTC unit will be limited to current residents of the independent living units and/or congregate housing.

b)         Defined Population

The applicant proposing a project for a defined population shall provide the following:

1)         The applicant shall document that the proposed project will serve a defined population group of a religious, fraternal or ethnic nature from throughout the entire health service area or from a larger geographic service area (GSA) proposed to be served and that includes, at a minimum, the entire health service area in which the facility is or will be physically located.

2)         The applicant shall document each of the following:

A)        A description of the proposed religious, fraternal or ethnic group proposed to be served;

B)        The boundaries of the GSA; 

C)        The number of individuals in the defined population who live within the proposed GSA, including the source of the figures;

D)        That the proposed services do not exist in the GSA where the facility is or will be located;

E)        That the services cannot be instituted at existing facilities within the GSA in sufficient numbers to accommodate the group's needs.  The applicant shall specify each proposed service that is not available in the GSA's existing facilities and the basis for determining why that service could not be provided.

F)         That at least 85% of the residents of the facility will be members of the defined population group.  Documentation shall consist of a written admission policy insuring that the requirements of this subsection (b)(2)(F) will be met.

G)        That the proposed project is either directly owned or sponsored by, or affiliated with, the religious, fraternal or ethnic group that has been defined as the population to be served by the project.  The applicant shall provide legally binding documents that prove ownership, sponsorship or affiliation.