A. Any person who desires to make any substantial alteration or addition to or any material change in any hospital or nursing home shall, before making such change, alteration or addition, submit the proposal therefor to the Commissioner for his approval. The Commissioner shall review the proposal to determine compliance with applicable statutes and regulations of the Board and as soon thereafter as reasonably practicable notify the person that the proposal is or is not approved.

B. If any such alteration, addition or change has the effect of changing the bed capacity or classification of the hospital or nursing home, the licensee shall obtain a new license for the remainder of the license year before beginning operation of additional beds or in the new classification.

C. Notwithstanding any provision of state law to the contrary, any hospital, after sending such written notice as may be required by the Commissioner, may utilize, for a period not to exceed thirty days for any one patient, a maximum of ten percent of its inpatient hospital beds as swing beds for the furnishing of services of the type which, if furnished by a nursing home or certified nursing facility, would constitute skilled care services without complying with nursing home licensure requirements or retaining the services of a licensed nursing home administrator. Such hospital shall amend its plan of care and implement its plan as amended to ensure the overall well-being of patients occupying such beds. Only those hospitals which qualify under § 1883 of Title XVIII and § 1913 of Title XIX of the Social Security Act and are certified as skilled nursing facilities may be reimbursed for such services for Medicare and Medicaid patients.

Code 1950, § 32-305; 1979, c. 711; 1983, c. 533; 1989, c. 618.