There are three general stages in the licensure process for home health agencies and nurse registries:
- Time prior to filing the application
- Period of time between filing the application the scheduling of the licensure survey, and
- Time between the survey and the issuance of the license.
Each stage has separate requirements and schedules.
The first stage is completely dependent on the applicant and how long it takes to gather the necessary information to accompany the application. Obtaining zoning verification for the office location is dependent on the local zoning authorities and may take follow-up by the applicant. Developing the Proof of Financial Ability to Operate may take additional time, for those unfamiliar with the process.
The second stage is controlled by Florida Statutes in that AHCA has “30 days after receipt [to] notify the applicant in writing of any apparent errors or omissions and request any additional information…” If there is a request for more information, in the form of an “Omissions Letter”, the applicant will have 21 days to provide that information or the application will be “withdrawn from further consideration” and the $2,000 filing fee is forfeited. After the response to the “Omissions Letter” there is no statutory deadline for AHCA to reply. Once the application is in order with AHCA, the applicant will receive confirmation of such and information that the local area AHCA office will contact the applicant to schedule a survey. There is no statute or rule providing a deadline for this to be accomplished.
The third stage begins as the surveyor exits the applicant’s office after the survey. The survey results are reviewed by AHCA and a determination is made as to whether any “regulatory violations exist, or all prior violations found have been determined by the Agency to be corrected.” When the determination that a satisfactory survey is made, the application is deemed “complete”, which invokes the 60-day deadline for issuing the license.
In conclusion, there are several statutory deadlines and administrative rules interpreting those statutes which result in an indefinite time to obtain a home care organizational license. Certainly, the accuracy of the application and the quality of the policies and procedures, coupled with the applicant’s performance during the survey will remove many days from the process and avoid delays in processing the application. Expert and seasoned guidance in this process can prove to be a valuable business decision.