Extended Congregate Care License

In addition to the standard license, a facility may choose to apply for an Extended Congregate Care (ECC) License. The ECC license is a specialty license that enables a facility to provide, directly or through contract, services beyond those permissible under the standard license, including acts performed by licensed nurses, and supportive services defined by rule to persons who otherwise would be disqualified from continued residence in a facility licensed under this part.

The primary purpose of extended congregate care services is to allow residents, as they become more impaired, the option of remaining in a familiar setting from which they would otherwise be disqualified for continued residency. A facility licensed to provide extended congregate care services may also admit an individual who exceeds the admission criteria for a facility with a standard license, if the individual is determined appropriate for admission to the extended congregate care facility.

In order for extended congregate care services to be provided in an ALF, the AHCA Assisted Living Unit must first determine that all requirements established in law and rule are met and must specifically designate, on the facility's license, that such services may be provided and whether the designation applies to all or part of a facility. New facilities may apply for an ECC license at the time of initial application. Existing facilities qualifying to provide extended congregate care services must have maintained a standard license and may not have been subject to administrative sanctions during the previous 2 years, or since initial licensure if the facility has been licensed for less than 2 years, for any of the following reasons:

• A class I or class II violation;
• Three or more repeat or recurring class III violations of identical or similar resident care standards as specified in rule from which a pattern of noncompliance is found by the agency;
• Three or more class III violations that were not corrected in accordance with the corrective action plan approved by the agency;
• Violation of resident care standards resulting in a requirement to employ the services of a consultant pharmacist or consultant dietitian;
• Denial, suspension, or revocation of a license for another facility under this part in which the applicant for an extended congregate care license has at least 25 percent ownership interest; or
• Imposition of a moratorium on admissions or initiation of injunctive proceedings.

ECC Licensing Fees

In addition to the total fee assessed for the standard license, the Agency for Health Care Administration requires facilities that are licensed to provide extended congregate care services to pay an additional fee per licensed facility. The amount of the biennial fee is an additional $423 per ECC license, with an additional fee of $10 per resident based on the total licensed resident capacity of the facility. No part of this fee shall be returned to the facility. AHCA may adjust the per bed license fee and the annual license fee once each year by not more than the average rate of inflation for the 12 months immediately preceding the increase.

NOTE: The agency may adjust the per bed and the total licensure fee annually based on the change in the consumer price index.