N.Y. Public Health Law 3611-A – Change in the operator or owner
§ 3611-a. Change in the operator or owner. 1. Any change in the person who, or any transfer, assignment, or other disposition of an interest or voting rights of ten percent or more, or any transfer, assignment or other disposition which results in the ownership or control of an interest or voting rights of ten percent or more, in a limited liability company or a partnership which is the operator of a licensed home care services agency or a certified home health agency shall be approved by the public health and health planning council, in accordance with the provisions of subdivision four of section thirty-six hundred five of this article relative to licensure or subdivision two of section thirty-six hundred six of this article relative to certificate of approval, except that:
Terms Used In N.Y. Public Health Law 3611-A
- Certified home health agency: means a home care services agency which possesses a valid certificate of approval issued pursuant to the provisions of this article, or a residential health care facility or hospital possessing a valid operating certificate issued under article twenty-eight of this chapter which is authorized under section thirty-six hundred ten of this article to provide a long term home health care program. See N.Y. Public Health Law 3602
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Home care services: means one or more of the following services provided to persons at home: (a) those services provided by a home care services agency; (b) home health aide services; (c) personal care services; (d) homemaker services; (e) housekeeper or chore services. See N.Y. Public Health Law 3602
- Home care services agency: means an organization primarily engaged in arranging and/or providing directly or through contract arrangement one or more of the following: Nursing services, home health aide services, and other therapeutic and related services which may include, but shall not be limited to, physical, speech and occupational therapy, nutritional services, medical social services, personal care services, homemaker services, and housekeeper or chore services, which may be of a preventive, therapeutic, rehabilitative, health guidance, and/or supportive nature to persons at home. See N.Y. Public Health Law 3602
- Licensed home care services agency: means a home care services agency, issued a license pursuant to section three thousand six hundred five of this chapter. See N.Y. Public Health Law 3602
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
(a) Public health and health planning council approval shall be required only with respect to the person, or the member or partner that is acquiring the interest or voting rights; and
(b) With respect to certified home health agencies, such change shall not be subject to the public need assessment described in paragraph (a) of subdivision two of section thirty-six hundred six of this article.
(c) No prior approval of the public health and health planning council shall be required with respect to a transfer, assignment or disposition of:
(i) an interest or voting rights to any person previously approved by the public health and health planning council, or its predecessor, for that operator; or
(ii) an interest or voting rights of less than ten percent in the operator. However, no such transaction shall be effective unless at least ninety days prior to the intended effective date thereof, the partner or member completes and files with the public health and health planning council notice on forms to be developed by the public health council, which shall disclose such information as may reasonably be necessary for the public health and health planning council to determine whether it should bar the transaction. Such transaction will be final as of the intended effective date unless, prior thereto, the public health and health planning council shall state specific reasons for barring such transactions under this paragraph and shall notify each party to the proposed transaction.
2. Any transfer, assignment or other disposition of ten percent or more of the stock or voting rights thereunder of a corporation which is the operator of a licensed home care services agency or a certified home health agency, or any transfer, assignment or other disposition of the stock or voting rights thereunder of such a corporation which results in the ownership or control of more than ten percent of the stock or voting rights thereunder of such corporation by any person shall be subject to approval by the public health and health planning council in accordance with the provisions of subdivision four of section thirty-six hundred five of this article relative to licensure or subdivision two of section thirty-six hundred six of this article relative to certificate of approval, except that:
(a) Public health and health planning council approval shall be required only with respect to the person or entity acquiring such stock or voting rights; and
(b) With respect to certified home health agencies, such change shall not be subject to the public need assessment described in paragraph (a) of subdivision two of section thirty-six hundred six of this article. In the absence of such approval, the license or certificate of approval shall be subject to revocation or suspension.
(c) No prior approval of the public health and health planning council shall be required with respect to a transfer, assignment or disposition of an interest or voting rights to any person previously approved by the public health and health planning council, or its predecessor, for that operator. However, no such transaction shall be effective unless at least one hundred twenty days prior to the intended effective date thereof, the partner or member completes and files with the public health and health planning council notice on forms to be developed by the public health and health planning council, which shall disclose such information as may reasonably be necessary for the public health and health planning council to determine whether it should bar the transaction. Such transaction will be final as of the intended effective date unless, prior thereto, the public health and health planning council shall state specific reasons for barring such transactions under this paragraph and shall notify each party to the proposed transaction.
3. (a) The commissioner shall charge to applicants for a change in operator or owner of a licensed home care services agency or a certified home health agency an application fee in the amount of two thousand dollars.
(b) The fees paid by certified home health agencies pursuant to this subdivision for any application approved in accordance with this section shall be deemed allowable costs in the determination of reimbursement rates established pursuant to this article. All fees pursuant to this section shall be payable to the department of health for deposit into the special revenue funds – other, miscellaneous special revenue fund – 339, certificate of need account.