California Code
ARTICLE 7.6 - Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Assurance Fee
Section 1324.20.

1324.20. For purposes of this article, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) (1) “Continuing care retirement community” means a provider of a continuum of services, including independent living services, assisted living services as defined in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 1771, and skilled nursing care, on a single campus, that is subject to Section 1791, or a provider of such a continuum of services on a single campus that has not received a Letter of Exemption pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 1771.3.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), beginning with the 2010–11 rate year and for every rate or calendar year thereafter, the term “continuing care retirement community” shall have the same meaning as defined in paragraph (10) of subdivision (c) of Section 1771.

(b) “Department,” unless otherwise specified, means the State Department of Health Care Services.

(c) (1) “Exempt facility” means a skilled nursing facility that is part of a continuing care retirement community, a skilled nursing facility operated by the state or another public entity, a unit that provides pediatric subacute services in a skilled nursing facility, a skilled nursing facility that is certified by the department for a special treatment program and is an institution for mental disease as defined in Section 1396d(i) of Title 42 of the United States Code, or a skilled nursing facility that is a distinct part of a facility that is licensed as a general acute care hospital.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), beginning with the 2010–11 rate year and for every rate or calendar year thereafter, the term “exempt facility” shall mean a skilled nursing facility that is part of a continuing care retirement community, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), a skilled nursing facility operated by the state or another public entity, a unit that provides pediatric subacute services in a skilled nursing facility, a skilled nursing facility that is certified by the department for a special treatment program and is an institution for mental disease as defined in Section 1396d(i) of Title 42 of the United States Code, or a skilled nursing facility that is a distinct part of a facility that is licensed as a general acute care hospital.

(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), beginning with the 2010–11 rate year and every rate or calendar year thereafter, a multilevel facility, as described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), shall not be exempt from the quality assurance fee requirements pursuant to this article, unless it meets the definition of a continuing care retirement community in paragraph (10) of subdivision (c) of Section 1771.

(4) (A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), beginning with the 2011–12 rate year, and every rate or calendar year thereafter, a unit that provides freestanding pediatric subacute care services in a skilled nursing facility, as described in paragraph (1), shall not be exempt from the quality assurance fee requirements pursuant to this article.

(B) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) and subparagraph (A), for the rate period from August 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020, and every subsequent calendar year thereafter, a unit that provides freestanding pediatric subacute care services in a skilled nursing facility, as described in paragraph (1), shall be exempt from the quality assurance fee requirements pursuant to this article.

(C) For the purposes of this article, “freestanding pediatric subacute care unit” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 51215.8 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.

(d) (1) “Net revenue” means gross resident revenue for routine nursing services and ancillary services provided to all residents by a skilled nursing facility, less Medicare revenue for routine and ancillary services, including Medicare revenue for services provided to residents covered under a Medicare managed care plan, less payer discounts and applicable contractual allowances as permitted under federal law and regulation.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), for the 2009–10, 2010–11, and 2011–12 rate years, and each rate or calendar year thereafter, “net revenue” means gross resident revenue for routine nursing services and ancillary services provided to all residents by a skilled nursing facility, including Medicare revenue for routine and ancillary services and Medicare revenue for services provided to residents covered under a Medicare managed care plan, less payer discounts and applicable contractual allowances as permitted under federal law and regulation. To implement this paragraph, the department shall request federal approval pursuant to Section 1324.27.

(3) “Net revenue” does not mean charitable contributions and bad debt.

(e) “Payer discounts and contractual allowances” means the difference between the facility’s resident charges for routine or ancillary services and the actual amount paid.

(f) “Skilled nursing facility” means a licensed facility as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 1250.

(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 13, Sec. 1. (AB 81) Effective June 29, 2020. See operational conditions in Section 1324.28. Inoperative after December 31, 2026. Repealed as of January 1, 2028, pursuant to Section 1324.30.)