(a) Upon receipt of an application for an initial license, the Department of Public Health, subject to the provisions of section 19a-491a, shall issue such license if, upon conducting a scheduled inspection and investigation, the department finds that the applicant and facilities meet the requirements established under section 19a-495, provided a license shall be issued to or renewed for an institution, as defined in section 19a-490, only if such institution is not otherwise required to be licensed by the state. If an institution, as defined in subsections (b), (d), (e) and (f) of section 19a-490, applies for license renewal and has been certified as a provider of services by the United States Department of Health and Human Services under Medicare or Medicaid programs within the immediately preceding twelve-month period, or if an institution, as defined in subsection (b) of section 19a-490, is currently certified, the commissioner or the commissioner's designee may waive on renewal the inspection and investigation of such facility required by this section and, in such event, any such facility shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirements of section 19a-495 for the purposes of licensure. Such license shall be valid for two years or a fraction thereof and shall terminate on March thirty-first, June thirtieth, September thirtieth or December thirty-first of the appropriate year. A license issued pursuant to this chapter, unless sooner suspended or revoked, shall be renewable biennially (1) after an unscheduled inspection is conducted by the department, and (2) upon the filing by the licensee, and approval by the department, of a report upon such date and containing such information in such form as the department prescribes and satisfactory evidence of continuing compliance with requirements established under section 19a-495. In the case of an institution, as defined in subsection (d) of section 19a-490, that is also certified as a provider under the Medicare program, the license shall be issued for a period not to exceed three years, to run concurrently with the certification period. In the case of an institution, as defined in subsection (m) of section 19a-490, that is applying for renewal, the license shall be issued pursuant to section 19a-491. Except in the case of a multicare institution, each license shall be issued only for the premises and persons named in the application. Such license shall not be transferable or assignable. Licenses shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the licensed premises.
(b) (1) A nursing home license may be renewed biennially after (A) an unscheduled inspection conducted by the department, (B) submission of the information required by section 19a-491a, and (C) submission of evidence satisfactory to the department that the nursing home is in compliance with the provisions of this chapter, the regulations of Connecticut state agencies and licensing regulations.
(2) Any change in the ownership of a facility or institution, as defined in section 19a-490, owned by an individual, partnership or association or the change in ownership or beneficial ownership of ten per cent or more of the stock of a corporation which owns, conducts, operates or maintains such facility or institution, shall be subject to prior approval of the department after a scheduled inspection of such facility or institution is conducted by the department, provided such approval shall be conditioned upon a showing by such facility or institution to the commissioner that it has complied with all requirements of this chapter, the regulations relating to licensure and all applicable requirements of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies. Any such change in ownership or beneficial ownership resulting in a transfer to a person related by blood or marriage to such an owner or beneficial owner shall not be subject to prior approval of the department unless: (A) Ownership or beneficial ownership of ten per cent or more of the stock of a corporation, limited liability company, partnership or association which owns, conducts, operates or maintains more than one facility or institution is transferred; (B) ownership or beneficial ownership is transferred in more than one facility or institution; or (C) the facility or institution is the subject of a pending complaint, investigation or licensure action. If the facility or institution is not in compliance, the commissioner may require the new owner to sign a consent order providing reasonable assurances that the violations shall be corrected within a specified period of time. Notice of any such proposed change of ownership shall be given to the department at least one hundred twenty days prior to the effective date of such proposed change. For the purposes of this subdivision, “a person related by blood or marriage” means a parent, spouse, child, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew. For the purposes of this subdivision, a change in the legal form of the ownership entity, including, but not limited to, changes from a corporation to a limited liability company, a partnership to a limited liability partnership, a sole proprietorship to a corporation and similar changes, shall not be considered a change of ownership if the beneficial ownership remains unchanged and the owner provides such information regarding the change to the department as may be required by the department in order to properly identify the current status of ownership and beneficial ownership of the facility or institution. For the purposes of this subdivision, a public offering of the stock of any corporation that owns, conducts, operates or maintains any such facility or institution shall not be considered a change in ownership or beneficial ownership of such facility or institution if the licensee and the officers and directors of such corporation remain unchanged, such public offering cannot result in an individual or entity owning ten per cent or more of the stock of such corporation, and the owner provides such information to the department as may be required by the department in order to properly identify the current status of ownership and beneficial ownership of the facility or institution.
(c) (1) A multicare institution may, under the terms of its existing license, provide behavioral health services or substance use disorder treatment services on the premises of more than one facility, at a satellite unit or at another location outside of its facilities or satellite units that is acceptable to the patient receiving services and is consistent with the patient's assessment and treatment plan. Such behavioral health services or substance use disorder treatment services may include methadone delivery and related substance use treatment services to persons in a nursing home facility pursuant to the provisions of section 19a-495c.
(2) Any multicare institution that intends to offer services at a satellite unit or other location outside of its facilities or satellite units shall submit an application for approval to offer services at such location to the Department of Public Health. Such application shall be submitted on a form and in the manner prescribed by the Commissioner of Public Health. Not later than forty-five days after receipt of such application, the commissioner shall notify the multicare institution of the approval or denial of such application. If the satellite unit or other location is approved, that satellite unit or location shall be deemed to be licensed in accordance with this section and shall comply with the applicable requirements of this chapter and regulations adopted under this chapter.
(3) A multicare institution that is a hospital providing outpatient behavioral health services or other health care services shall provide the Department of Public Health with a list of satellite units or locations when completing the initial or renewal licensure application.
(4) The Commissioner of Public Health may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to carry out the provisions of this subsection. The Commissioner of Public Health may implement policies and procedures necessary to administer the provisions of this subsection while in the process of adopting such policies and procedures as regulation, provided the commissioner prints notice of intent to adopt regulations in the Connecticut Law Journal not later than twenty days after the date of implementation. Policies and procedures implemented pursuant to this section shall be valid until the time final regulations are adopted.
(1953, 1955, S. 2053d; P.A. 77-304, S. 4; 77-601, S. 3, 11; 77-614, S. 323, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 79-46, S. 2, 3; P.A. 80-17; 80-199; P.A. 81-135; 81-201, S. 1; P.A. 84-546, S. 168, 173; P.A. 85-146, S. 2, 4; P.A. 89-350, S. 7; P.A. 90-13, S. 7; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-8, S. 28, 63; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2, S. 15, 72; P.A. 00-10; P.A. 05-272, S. 6; P.A. 09-232, S. 14; P.A. 10-117, S. 1; P.A. 13-249, S. 3; P.A. 14-211, S. 2; P.A. 15-242, S. 40; P.A. 19-118, S. 5; P.A. 21-121, S. 35.)
History: Sec. 19-34 transferred to Sec. 19-578 in 1977; P.A. 77-304 added provisions re report of portions of federal income tax information as condition for license renewal and re notice and approval of proposed changes in ownership; P.A. 77-601 added provisions re approval and inspection of institutions required for issuance and renewal, respectively, of licenses; P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 replaced commissioner and department of health commissioner and department of health services, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-46 rephrased proviso re license issuance or renewal and allowed issuance or renewal only if institution not otherwise required to be licensed by state; P.A. 80-17 allowed waiver of inspection and investigation if currently certified as provider of services by U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources or certified within last 12 months; P.A. 80-199 rephrased provision re prior approval of change in ownership; P.A. 81-135 specified that inspections conducted by the department of health services prior to the initial licensure of a facility or prior to the transfer of ownership of a nursing home shall be “scheduled” inspections and that inspections conducted for purposes of license renewal shall be “unscheduled”; P.A. 81-201 replaced requirement that a nursing home owner submit pertinent portions of his personal Federal Income Tax for purposes of annual license renewal with authorization for the department of health services to require the submission of “information related to the character and financial condition” of the owner; Sec. 19-578 transferred to Sec. 19a-493 in 1983; P.A. 84-546 made technical changes; P.A. 85-146 authorized the issuance of provisional licenses; P.A. 89-350 divided the existing section into Subsecs. (a) and (b), provided for biennial licensure, added the language in Subsec. (b) on requirements for the renewal of a nursing home license and on consent orders and made technical changes; P.A. 90-13 made technical change in Subsec. (a); June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-8 amended Subsec. (b) to specify when changes re transfer or change of ownership to relatives are not subject to department approval and defined “a person related by blood or marriage”; P.A. 93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2 amended Subsec. (b) by expanding definition of “a person related by blood or marriage” to include a “brother, sister, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew” and by adding provision re change in legal form of ownership entity, effective June 29, 1999; P.A. 00-10 made technical changes and added provisions re a public offering of stock that shall not be considered a change in ownership or beneficial ownership; P.A. 05-272 amended Subsec. (a) to remove “without charge” re biennial renewal of certain health care institution licenses; P.A. 09-232 amended Subsec. (a) by substituting United States Department of Health and Human Services for United States Department of Health and Human Resources and by adding exception re frequency of Department of Public Health inspections for Medicare-certified provider institutions, effective July 1, 2009; P.A. 10-117 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting provisions re provisional license, by deleting reference to Sec. 19a-490(c), by adding “on renewal” re inspection and investigation waiver, by changing “requirements” to “requirements established under section 19a-495”, by deleting reference to Sec. 19a-490(e) or (f), by replacing provision re inspection of institution certified as Medicare provider with provision re 3-year period of licensure for institution certified as Medicare provider and by making technical changes; P.A. 13-249 amended Subsec. (b)(1)(B) to delete “subsections (a) and (c) of section 19a-491a and any other information required by the commissioner pursuant to subsection (b) of said” and add “19a-491a”, effective January 1, 2014; P.A. 14-211 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting reference to Sec. 19a-490(d), (e) or (f), adding provision re multicare institution and making technical changes and added Subsec. (c) re multicare institutions; P.A. 15-242 amended Subsec. (c)(2) to make technical changes; P.A. 19-118 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision re institution applying for approval, amended Subsec. (b)(2) by deleting reference to Subsec. (c) and replacing reference to 90 days with reference to 120 days re advance notice of change of ownership and amended Subsec. (c) by adding provision permitting behavioral health services or substance use disorder treatment services to include methadone delivery and related substance use treatment services in Subdiv. (1), adding Subdiv. (3) requiring certain multicare institutions to provide department with list of satellite units or locations and redesignating existing Subdiv. (3) as Subdiv. (4), effective July 1, 2019; P.A. 21-121 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing “Public Health Code” with “regulations of Connecticut state agencies” and adding “limited liability company,” in Subdiv. (2)(A), effective July 1, 2021.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Title 19a - Public Health and Well-Being
Chapter 368v - Health Care Institutions
Section 19a-485. - Home for the aged deemed to mean residential care home.
Section 19a-486. - Sale of nonprofit hospitals: Definitions.
Section 19a-486e. - Sale of nonprofit hospitals: Public hearings.
Section 19a-486f. - Sale of nonprofit hospitals: Appeal.
Section 19a-486g. - Sale of nonprofit hospitals: Denial of license.
Section 19a-486h. - Sale of nonprofit hospitals: Construction of governing law.
Section 19a-487. - Mobile field hospital: Defined, board of directors.
Section 19a-487b. - Mobile field hospital: Regulations.
Section 19a-490. (Formerly Sec. 19-576). - Licensing of institutions. Definitions.
Section 19a-490a. - “Community health center” defined.
Section 19a-490c. - Moratorium on licensing of family care homes.
Section 19a-490dd. - Accessibility of medical diagnostic equipment in health care facilities.
Section 19a-490ee. - Provision of educational materials by birthing hospitals.
Section 19a-490f. - Requirements for reports of treatment of wounds from firearms and stab wounds.
Section 19a-490g. - Bilingual consumer guide.
Section 19a-490i. - Interpreter services and linguistic access in acute care hospitals.
Section 19a-490j. - Hospital plans for remediation of medical and surgical errors.
Section 19a-490l. - Mandatory limits on overtime for nurses working in hospitals. Exceptions.
Section 19a-490r. - Health care employer: Records and report re incidents of workplace violence.
Section 19a-490t. - Community health centers. Program to provide financial assistance. Report.
Section 19a-490v. - Removal of a delivered placenta from a hospital.
Section 19a-491c. - Criminal history and patient abuse background search program. Regulations.
Section 19a-491e. - Home health agency contracts. Prohibition on no-hire clauses, penalties.
Section 19a-492a. - Disclosures by home health care agencies.
Section 19a-492c. - Home health care and hospice agencies. Waiver for provision of hospice services.
Section 19a-492f. - Disposal of controlled substances for hospice and hospice care programs.
Section 19a-493a. - Evaluation of certain new licensees.
Section 19a-493c. - Outpatient clinics. Licensure. Regulations.
Section 19a-494. (Formerly Sec. 19-579). - Disciplinary action.
Section 19a-494a. - Emergency summary orders.
Section 19a-498a. - Discriminatory practices prohibited.
Section 19a-499. (Formerly Sec. 19-583). - Information to be confidential. Exceptions.
Section 19a-500. - Penalty for material false statement.
Section 19a-501. (Formerly Sec. 19-584). - Appeal.
Section 19a-504a. - Continuation or removal of life support system. Determination of death.
Section 19a-504b. - Home health care for elderly persons.
Section 19a-505. (Formerly Sec. 19-588). - Maternity hospitals; license; inspection.
Section 19a-506. (Formerly Sec. 19-589). - Licensing of maternity homes. Fees.
Section 19a-507c. (Formerly Sec. 19a-80c). - Evaluation of community residences.
Section 19a-507g. - Adult day health care facilities. Regulations.
Section 19a-508b. - Notification to patient of placement in observation status by hospital.
Section 19a-509a. - Audits of hospital bills. Charges.
Section 19a-509b. - Hospital bed funds.
Section 19a-509c. - Prescription orders in health care facilities.
Section 19a-509d. - Transcription and execution of verbal medication orders.
Section 19a-509g. - Behavioral health facility. Criteria for admission.
Section 19a-510. (Formerly Sec. 19-590b). - Reporting of burns.
Section 19a-512. (Formerly Sec. 19-593). - Licensure by examination. Minimum requirements.
Section 19a-513. (Formerly Sec. 19-594). - Licensure by endorsement.
Section 19a-514. (Formerly Sec. 19-595). - Issuance of administrator's license. Nontransferable.
Section 19a-515. (Formerly Sec. 19-596). - License renewal. Continuing education requirement.
Section 19a-516. (Formerly Sec. 19-597). - Temporary license.
Section 19a-518. (Formerly Sec. 19-599). - Penalty.
Section 19a-519. (Formerly Sec. 19-600). - Regulations. Programs of instruction and training.
Section 19a-520. (Formerly Sec. 19-601). - Changes in regulations to meet federal requirements.
Section 19a-521. (Formerly Sec. 19-602). - Nursing home facilities. Definitions.
Section 19a-521b. - Bed positioning in nursing home facilities.
Section 19a-521d. - Prescription drug formulary systems in nursing home facilities.
Section 19a-523. (Formerly Sec. 19-606). - Injunction for violation.
Section 19a-524. (Formerly Sec. 19-607). - Citations issued for certain violations.
Section 19a-526. (Formerly Sec. 19-609). - Effect of final order. Payment of civil penalties.
Section 19a-527. (Formerly Sec. 19-610). - Classification of violations by nursing home facilities.
Section 19a-527a. - Classification of violations by residential care homes.
Section 19a-528. (Formerly Sec. 19-611). - Criteria for imposing civil penalties.
Section 19a-529. (Formerly Sec. 19-612). - Appeal from final order.
Section 19a-530. (Formerly Sec. 19-612a). - Report to regional ombudsman.
Section 19a-534. (Formerly Sec. 19-615). - Emergency transfer of patients; notice requirement.
Section 19a-534a. - Emergency actions against nursing home and residential care home licensees.
Section 19a-535b. - Chronic disease hospital. Transfer or discharge of patients. Notice.
Section 19a-537a. - Reservation of beds. Penalty. Hearing.
Section 19a-543. (Formerly Sec. 19-621c). - Imposition of receivership: Grounds.
Section 19a-544. (Formerly Sec. 19-621d). - Imposition of receivership: Defenses.
Section 19a-545. (Formerly Sec. 19-621e). - Duties of receiver.
Section 19a-548. (Formerly Sec. 19-621h). - Accounting by receiver.
Section 19a-549. (Formerly Sec. 19-621i). - Termination of receivership.
Section 19a-550. (Formerly Sec. 19-622). - Patients' bill of rights.
Section 19a-550a. - Patient's rights pursuant to Medicare conditions of participation.
Section 19a-551. (Formerly Sec. 19-623a). - Management of resident's personal funds.
Section 19a-552. (Formerly Sec. 19-623b). - Failure to comply with section 19a-551: Penalties.
Section 19a-553. (Formerly Sec. 19-624). - Disclosure of crimes required. Penalty.
Section 19a-559. (Formerly Sec. 19-626d). - Advisory board. Membership. Duties.
Section 19a-562. - Dementia special care units or programs. Definitions. Disclosure requirements.
Section 19a-562f. - Nursing home facility staffing levels. Definitions.
Section 19a-563d. - Nursing homes. Infection prevention and control committee requirements.
Section 19a-563g. - Nursing homes. Resident care plans.
Section 19a-563h. - Nursing homes. Minimum staffing level requirements. Regulations.
Section 19a-565a. (Formerly Sec. 19a-30a). - Reporting of clinical laboratory errors.
Section 19a-565b. (Formerly Sec. 19a-31). - Clinical laboratories to analyze chiropractic specimens.
Section 19a-565c. (Formerly Sec. 19a-31b). - Hair follicle drug testing by clinical laboratories.