Three Nursing Homes In Escambia, Santa Rosa In Compliance With Generator Rule

December 4, 2017

Three nursing homes in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties are in compliance with Florida’s new emergency generator rule, according to a news release from the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA).

The Century Health and Rehabilitation Century, the Life Care Center of Pensacola and the Rosewood Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Pensacola were the only local facilities on a compliance list published by AHCA.

Health care regulators say it will cost Florida nursing homes more than $186 million to comply with a requirement to install generators and have 96 hours of fuel to be able to cool their facilities.

AHCA published the estimated cost information this week after receiving a three-page letter from Joint Administrative Procedures Committee flagging potential problems with a proposed agency rule, initially published Nov. 14.

Florida law requires the agency to publish a summary of the estimated costs to comply with the regulations and to announce whether the rule would require legislative approval. Any rule that increases the costs of doing business by more than $200,000 in the aggregate requires legislative approval. The November rule is meant to replace an emergency generator rule that Gov. Rick Scott’s administration issued in September after the death of eight residents at The Rehabilitation Center of Hollywood Hills following Hurricane Irma.

The agency based its estimates on information provided from the nursing home industry, which said the costs for a generator at a 120-bed facility would be $315,200. Using those figures, AHCA estimated the average cost per bed at $2,626.66. There are currently 683 nursing homes in Florida, but 102 already have generators and comply with the requirements in the proposed rule. That leaves 581 facilities that would be affected by the requirements.

The Florida Health Care Association, a statewide nursing-home trade group, has repeatedly said it wants the state to help the facilities cover the costs of the generators with Medicaid funding. Also this week, the state estimated costs for assisted living facilities coming into compliance with the generator mandate at more than $280 million.

Tallying the costs for assisted living facilities and nursing homes shows that the proposed requirements would cost long-term care providers more than $465 million.

The Broward County nursing home residents died after the facility’s air-conditioning system was knocked out by Hurricane Irma.

by The News Service of Florida with contribution from NorthEscambia.com

Comments

6 Responses to “Three Nursing Homes In Escambia, Santa Rosa In Compliance With Generator Rule”

  1. Fred on December 6th, 2017 9:28 am

    @William – I should have been more clear, Solaris has two huge diesel generators that do indeed power the entire building, and did so during the 2014 flooding storm, and for days afterward. My advice to those seeking a facility for their loved ones is to check the place out thoroughly, and talk to actual families. One of those in the story has a poor reputation among family members who have had to move their loved ones out. I’m just trying to be fair.

  2. William on December 5th, 2017 11:03 pm

    >>This list must be incomplete. Solaris on University Blvd has had generators for years. My mother was there, and I’ve heard them running.

    Pretty much every nursing home as a generator. The new rules require generators that are much larger and much more expensive to power the cooling system for 96 hours

  3. Fred on December 5th, 2017 8:45 pm

    This list must be incomplete. Solaris on University Blvd has had generators for years. My mother was there, and I’ve heard them running.

  4. Retired2 on December 5th, 2017 5:22 pm

    When will Alabama follow this ,the elders and infirmed should have a safe environment to live in. And there are state and federal inspections that will take care of the proper maintenance , called a j tag when there is danger to those that are being cared for. This translates into $ fines and owners don’t like those at all.

  5. Ponderosa hill on December 4th, 2017 8:20 pm

    @ My 2 cents.
    Sure like your idea of corporate sponsors and others to help.
    It will be expensive but in many/most areas it needs to be required to protect
    patients lives. Not buying that Tax payers should foot the bill ( Medicaid ) but like
    Hospitals etc. it’s a necessity. Ive got a feelin most of us will end-up in one
    if them which gives me a heart and belly ache. Just having the back-up power
    Is not the end ……..it’ll require a lot of maintenance ,exercising and checking and
    double checking to insure the systems works when needed.

  6. My2Cents on December 4th, 2017 11:45 am

    I wonder if they could reach out and get corporate sponsors to help with the cost of the generators. I like the idea of the facilities having backup power. It just makes sense.