Special rates

1. For a new facility, the department shall establish an interim rate equal to the lesser of the limit rates for direct and indirect care for the rate year in which the facility begins operation, plus the maximum operating margin, plus a room and board rate equal to the average food and plant rate, of all facilities for which a rate was established for the rate year, plus a projected property rate calculated based on projected property costs and imputed census, or a rate established based on an annual budget submitted by the facility. The interim rate may be in effect for no more than eighteen months. No retroactive adjustment may be made to the rate. a. If the effective date of the interim rate is on or after September first and on or before December thirty-first, the interim rate must be effective for the remainder of that rate year and must continue through December thirty-first of the subsequent rate year. By August thirty-first, the facility shall file an interim cost report for the period ending June thirtieth of the period in which the facility first provides services. The interim cost report is used to establish the actual rate to be effective January first of the subsequent rate year. b. If the effective date of the interim rate is on or after January first and on or before June thirtieth, the interim rate must remain in effect through the end of the subsequent rate year. By March first, the facility shall file a cost report for the partial report year ending December thirty-first of the subsequent rate year. This cost report must be used to establish the rate for the next subsequent rate year. c. If the effective date of the interim rate is on or after July first and on or before August thirty-first, the interim rate must remain in effect through the end of the rate year in which the interim rate becomes effective. By March first, the facility shall file a cost report for the period ending December thirty-first of the current rate year. This cost report must be used to establish the rate for the subsequent rate year. 2. For a facility with renovations or replacements in excess of fifty thousand dollars, and without a significant capacity increase, the rate established for direct care, indirect care, food and plant, and the operating margin, based on the last report year, plus a property rate calculated based on projected property costs and imputed census, must be applied to all licensed beds. The projected property rate must be effective on the first of the month following the time the project is completed and placed into service or on the first of the month following submission of a request for a projected property rate, whichever is later. The property rate for the subsequent rate year must be based on projected property costs and imputed census, rather than on property costs actually incurred in the report year. Imputed census is based on the greater of actual census of all licensed beds existing before the renovation or ninety percent of the available licensed beds existing prior to renovation, plus ninety percent of the increase in licensed bed capacity and unavailable licensed beds existing prior to the renovation. Subsequent property rates must be adjusted using this methodology, except imputed census must be actual census if actual census exceeds ninety percent of total licensed capacity, until such time as twelve months of property costs are reflected in the report year. 3. For a facility with a significant capacity increase, the rate established for direct care, indirect care, food and plant, and the operating margin, based on the last report year, must be applied to all licensed beds. A property rate must be established based on projected property costs and projected census. The property rate must be effective from the first day of the month beginning after the date in which the increase in licensed beds is issued by the department's public health division through the end of the rate year. 4. For a facility with no significant capacity increase and no renovations or replacements in excess of fifty thousand dollars, the established rate based on the report year must be applied throughout the rate year for all licensed beds. 5. Rates for a facility changing ownership during the rate period are set under this subsection. The total rate established by adding the components of the rate may not exceed the limit rate established under subsection 1 of section 75-02-07.1-22. a. The rates established for direct care, indirect care, food and plant, and the operating margin for the previous owner must be retained through the end of the rate period and the rates for the next rate period following the change in ownership must be established: (1) For a facility with four or more months of operation under the new ownership during the report year, through use of a cost report for the period; or (2) For a facility with less than four months of operations under the new ownership during the report year: (a) By indexing the rate established for the previous owner forward using the adjustment factors as set forth in section 75-02-07.1-21; or (b) If the previous owner submits a cost report and allows the audit of that cost report, and if the change of ownership occurred after the report year end but prior to the beginning of the next rate year, by establishing a rate based on the previous owner's cost report. b. Unless a facility elects to have a property rate established under subdivision c, the rate established for property for the previous owner must be retained through the end of the rate period and the property rate for the next rate period following the change in ownership must be established: (1) For a facility with four or more months of operation under the new ownership during the report year, through use of a cost report for the period; and (2) For a facility with less than four months of operation under the new ownership during the report year: (a) By using the rate established for the previous owner for the previous rate year; or (b) If the previous owner submits a cost report and allows the audit of that cost report, and if the change of ownership occurred after the report year end but prior to the beginning of the next rate year, by establishing a rate based on the previous owner's cost report. c. A facility may choose to have a property rate established during the remainder of the rate year and the subsequent rate year based on interest and principal payments on the allowable portion of debt expended during the rate years. The property rate must go into effect on the first of the month following notification by the department. The difference between a property rate established based on the facility's election and a property rate established based on subdivision b, multiplied by actual census for the period, must be determined. The property rate established in each of the twelve years, beginning with the first rate year following the use of a property rate established using this subdivision, may not exceed the property rate otherwise allowable, reduced by one-twelfth of that difference. 6. For a facility terminating its participation in the aid to vulnerable aged, blind, and disabled individuals program, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, the department may authorize the facility to receive continued payment until eligible beneficiaries can be relocated. 7. At such time as twelve months of property costs are reflected in the report year, the difference between a projected property rate established using subsection 2 or 3 and the property rate that would otherwise be established based on historical costs must be determined. The property rate paid in each of the twelve years, beginning with the first rate year following the use of a property rate established using subsection 2 or 3 may not exceed the property rate otherwise allowable, reduced by one-twelfth of that difference. 8. For purposes of this section, "new facility" means a facility operated in a premises for which no costs were claimed and no rate was set under this chapter for any period prior to July 1, 1995, but does not mean a facility with: a. Renovations or replacements; b. A capacity increase; or c. A change of ownership. 9. When a nursing facility converts licensed bed capacity to basic care bed capacity and the nursing facility does not share basic services with a licensed basic care facility prior to the conversion: a. For the rate year in which the conversion occurs, the personal care rate shall be the sum of the limit rates for the direct and indirect cost category, the maximum operating margin, and the room and board rate shall be calculated using the nursing facility's food and plant and property costs and census applicable to the rate year; b. For the first rate year following the rate year in which the conversion occurs, the personal care rate shall be the sum of the limit rates for the direct and indirect cost category, the maximum operating margin, and the room and board rate shall be calculated using the nursing facility's food and plant and property costs and census applicable to the rate year; and c. A cost report must be used to establish the rates for all subsequent rate years. 10. When a nursing facility converts licensed bed capacity to basic care bed capacity and the nursing facility shares basic services with a licensed basic care facility prior to the conversion, the rates established for the licensed basic care facility shall apply to the converted bed capacity. 11. A facility that meets the definition of a specialized facility for individuals with mental disease as a result of a reduction in licensed capacity to less than seventeen may choose to have an interim rate established for the remainder of the rate year following the capacity decrease and the subsequent rate based on the lesser of the limit rates for a specialized facility for individuals with mental disease for the rate year in which the institution for mental disease decreases its licensed capacity, plus the maximum operating margin, plus a room and board rate equal to the average food and plant rate, of all facilities for which a rate was established for the rate year, plus a projected property rate calculated based on projected property costs and imputed census, or a rate established based on an annual budget submitted by the facility. The interim rate may be in effect for no more than eighteen months. Retroactive adjustments may not be made to the rate. a. If the effective date of the interim rate is on or after September first and on or before December thirty-first, the interim rate must be effective for the remainder of that rate year and must continue through December thirty-first of the subsequent rate year. By August thirty-first, the facility shall file an interim cost report for the period ending June thirtieth of the period in which the facility first provides services. The interim cost report is used to establish the actual rate to be effective January first of the subsequent rate year. b. If the effective date of the interim rate is on or after January first and on or before June thirtieth, the interim rate must remain in effect through the end of the subsequent rate year. By March first, the facility shall file a cost report for the partial report year ending December thirty-first of the subsequent rate year. This cost report must be used to establish the rate for the next subsequent rate year. c. If the effective date of the interim rate is on or after July first and on or before August thirty-first, the interim rate must remain in effect through the end of the rate year in which the interim rate becomes effective. By March first, the facility shall file a cost report for the period ending December thirty-first of the current rate year. This cost report must be used to establish the rate for the subsequent rate year.