License required; fee; disposition.

(1) The requirements of part II of chapter 408 apply to the provision of services that require licensure pursuant to this part and part II of chapter 408 and to entities licensed by or applying for such licensure from the Agency for Health Care Administration pursuant to this part. A license issued by the agency is required for the operation of a nursing home in this state.

(2) Separate licenses shall be required for facilities maintained in separate premises, even though operated under the same management. However, a separate license shall not be required for separate buildings on the same grounds.

(3) In accordance with s. 408.805, an applicant or licensee shall pay a fee for each license application submitted under this part, part II of chapter 408, and applicable rules. The license fee shall be comprised of two parts. Part I of the license fee shall be the basic license fee. The rate per bed for the basic license fee shall be established biennially and shall be $100 per bed unless modified by rule. Part II of the license fee shall be the resident protection fee, which shall be at the rate of not less than 50 cents per bed. The rate per bed shall be the minimum rate per bed, and such rate shall remain in effect until the effective date of a rate per bed adopted by rule by the agency pursuant to this part. At such time as the amount on deposit in the Health Care Trust Fund for resident protection is less than $1 million, the agency may adopt rules to establish a rate which may not exceed $20 per bed. The rate per bed shall revert back to the minimum rate per bed when the amount on deposit in the Health Care Trust Fund for resident protection reaches $1 million, except that any rate established by rule shall remain in effect until such time as the rate has been equally required for each license issued under this part. Any amount in the fund in excess of $2 million may not be expended without prior approval of the Legislature. The agency may prorate the biennial license fee for those licenses which it issues under this part for less than 2 years. The resident protection fee collected shall be deposited in the Health Care Trust Fund for the sole purpose of paying, in accordance with the provisions of s. 400.063, for the appropriate alternate placement, care, and treatment of a resident removed from a nursing home facility on a temporary, emergency basis or for the maintenance and care of residents in a nursing home facility pending removal and alternate placement.

(4) Counties or municipalities applying for licenses under this part are exempt from license fees authorized under this section.