In the case of a nursing home licensee, as defined in WAC 246-310-010 ceasing operation as a nursing home or any other party who has secured an interest in the beds and requesting to retain the nursing home bed allocation, pursuant to RCW 70.38.115 (13)(b), the licensee or other party who has secured an interest in the beds shall give notice to the department of health.

(1) Notice of the nursing homes intent to retain the nursing home bed allocation shall be given to the department of health no later than thirty days after the effective date of the homes closure. Such notices shall be signed by the licensee and include the following:

(a) The name of the facility ceasing operation;

(b) The number of beds in the bed allocation to be retained;

(c) Documentation of the effective date of the facility closure;

(d) The name, address, and telephone number of a contact person;

(e) Documentation as to whether the applicant is the licensee who has operated the beds for at least one year immediately preceding the reservation of the beds; and

(f) In the event the nursing home licensee, as defined by WAC 246-310-010, is not the nursing home owner, the licensee shall document whether the building owner or other party has a secured interest in the beds.

(2) Notice shall be in written form addressed to the certificate of need program and signed by an authorized representative of the nursing home or other party who has secured an interest in the beds.

(3) The department shall respond within thirty days of the notice confirming that the rights to the bed allocation have been retained and the date the retained bed right will expire, provided no certificate of need is issued to replace the beds. The nursing home does not forfeit its right to bank beds under this section if the department does not respond within the thirty-day time frame, nor does the nursing home obtain rights that it otherwise would not have under applicable statutes or rules if the department does not respond within the given time frame.

(4) Certificate of need review shall be required for any party who has reserved the nursing home beds except that the need criteria shall be deemed met when the applicant is the licensee who has operated the beds for at least one year immediately preceding the reservation of the beds, and who is replacing the beds in the same planning area.