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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>83021</law_id><section_number>32.1-132</section_number><catch_line>(Effective July 1, 2028) Alterations or additions to hospitals and nursing homes; when new license required; use of inpatient hospital beds for furnishing skilled care services</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="32.1">Health</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="5">Regulation of Medical Care Facilities and Services</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Hospital and Nursing Home Licensure and Inspection</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who desires to make any substantial alteration or addition to or any <span class="dictionary">material</span> change in any <span class="dictionary">hospital</span> or <span class="dictionary">nursing home</span> shall, before making such change, alteration or addition, submit the proposal therefor to the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> for his approval. The <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> shall review the proposal to determine compliance with applicable <span class="dictionary">statutes</span> and regulations of the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> and as soon thereafter as reasonably practicable notify the <span class="dictionary">person</span> that the proposal is or is not approved. <a id="paragraph-297576" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-132/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> If any such alteration, addition or change has the effect of changing the bed capacity or classification of the <span class="dictionary">hospital</span> or <span class="dictionary">nursing home</span>, the licensee shall obtain a new license for the remainder of the license year before beginning operation of additional beds or in the new classification. <a id="paragraph-297577" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-132/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Notwithstanding any provision of state <span class="dictionary">law</span> to the contrary, any <span class="dictionary">hospital</span>, after sending such written notice as may be required by the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span>, may utilize, for a period not to exceed thirty days for any one patient, a maximum of ten percent of its inpatient <span class="dictionary">hospital</span> beds as swing beds for the furnishing of services of the type which, if furnished by a <span class="dictionary">nursing home</span> or <span class="dictionary">certified nursing facility</span>, would constitute skilled care services without complying with <span class="dictionary">nursing home</span> licensure requirements or retaining the services of a licensed <span class="dictionary">nursing home</span> administrator. Such <span class="dictionary">hospital</span> shall <span class="dictionary">amend</span> its plan of care and implement its plan as amended to ensure the overall well-being of patients occupying such beds. Only those <span class="dictionary">hospitals</span> which qualify under &#xA7; 1883 of Title XVIII and &#xA7; 1913 of Title XIX of the Social Security Act and are certified as skilled nursing facilities may be reimbursed for such services for Medicare and Medicaid patients. <a id="paragraph-297578" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-132/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 32-305; 1979, c. 711; 1983, c. 533; 1989, c. 618; 2025, cc. 114, 135.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
