Minimum liquid reserve requirements.

(1) A provider shall maintain in escrow a minimum liquid reserve consisting of the following reserves, as applicable:

(a) Each provider shall maintain in escrow as a debt service reserve the aggregate amount of all principal and interest payments due during the fiscal year on any mortgage loan or other long-term financing of the facility, including property taxes as recorded in the audited financial report required under s. 651.026. The amount must include any leasehold payments and all costs related to such payments. If principal payments are not due during the fiscal year, the provider must maintain in escrow as a minimum liquid reserve an amount equal to interest payments due during the next 12 months on any mortgage loan or other long-term financing of the facility, including property taxes. If a provider does not have a mortgage loan or other financing on the facility, the provider must deposit monthly in escrow as a minimum liquid reserve an amount equal to one-twelfth of the annual property tax liability as indicated in the most recent tax notice provided pursuant to s. 197.322(3), and must annually pay property taxes out of such escrow.

(b) A provider that has outstanding indebtedness that requires a debt service reserve to be held in escrow pursuant to a trust indenture or mortgage lien on the facility and for which the debt service reserve may only be used to pay principal and interest payments on the debt that the debtor is obligated to pay, and which may include property taxes and insurance, may include such debt service reserve in computing the minimum liquid reserve needed to satisfy this subsection if the provider furnishes to the office a copy of the agreement under which such debt service reserve is held, together with a statement of the amount being held in escrow for the debt service reserve, certified by the lender or trustee and the provider to be correct. The trustee shall provide the office with any information concerning the debt service reserve account upon request of the provider or the office. In addition, the trust indenture, loan agreement, or escrow agreement must provide that the provider, trustee, lender, escrow agent, or a person designated to act in its place shall notify the office in writing at least 10 days before the withdrawal of any portion of the debt service reserve funds required to be held in escrow as described in this paragraph. The notice must include an affidavit sworn to by the provider, the trustee, or a person designated to act in its place which includes the amount of the scheduled debt service payment, the payment due date, the amount of the withdrawal, the accounts from which the withdrawal will be made, and a plan with a schedule for replenishing the withdrawn funds. If the plan is revised by a consultant that is retained as prescribed in the provider’s financing documents, the revised plan must be submitted to the office within 10 days after the approval by the lender or trustee. Any such separate debt service reserves are not subject to the transfer provisions set forth in subsection (8).

(c) Each provider shall maintain in escrow an operating reserve equal to 30 percent of the total operating expenses projected in the feasibility study required by s. 651.023 for the first 12 months of operation. Thereafter, each provider shall maintain in escrow an operating reserve equal to 15 percent of the total operating expenses in the annual report filed pursuant to s. 651.026. If a provider has been in operation for more than 12 months, the total annual operating expenses must be determined by averaging the total annual operating expenses reported to the office by the number of annual reports filed with the office within the preceding 3-year period subject to adjustment if there is a change in the number of facilities owned. For purposes of this subsection, total annual operating expenses include all expenses of the facility except depreciation and amortization; interest and property taxes included in paragraph (a); extraordinary expenses that are adequately explained and documented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; liability insurance premiums in excess of those paid in calendar year 1999; and changes in the obligation to provide future services to current residents. For providers initially licensed during or after calendar year 1999, liability insurance must be included in the total operating expenses in an amount not to exceed the premium paid during the first 12 months of facility operation. The operating reserves required under this subsection must be in an unencumbered account held in escrow for the benefit of the residents. Such funds may not be encumbered or subject to any liens or charges by the escrow agent or judgments, garnishments, or creditors’ claims against the provider or facility. However, if a facility had a lien, mortgage, trust indenture, or similar debt instrument in place before January 1, 1993, which encumbered all or any part of the reserves required by this subsection and such funds were used to meet the requirements of this subsection, then such arrangement may be continued, unless a refinancing or acquisition has occurred, and the provider is in compliance with this subsection.

(d) Each provider shall maintain in escrow a renewal and replacement reserve equal to 15 percent of the total accumulated depreciation based on the audited financial statement required to be filed pursuant to s. 651.026, not to exceed 15 percent of the facility’s average operating expenses for the past 3 fiscal years based on the audited financial statements for each of those years. For a provider who is an operator of a facility but is not the owner and depreciation is not included as part of the provider’s financial statement, the renewal and replacement reserve required by this paragraph must equal 15 percent of the total operating expenses of the provider, as described in this section. Each provider licensed before October 1, 1983, shall fully fund the renewal and replacement reserve by October 1, 2003, by multiplying the difference between the former escrow requirement and the present escrow requirement by the number of years the facility has been in operation after October 1, 1983.

(2)(a) In facilities where not all residents are under continuing care or continuing care at-home contracts, the reserve requirements of subsection (1) shall be computed only with respect to the proportional share of operating expenses that are applicable to residents. For purposes of this calculation, the proportional share shall be based upon the ratio of residents under continuing care or continuing care at-home contracts to the total of all residents, including those residents who do not hold such contracts.

(b) In facilities that have voluntarily and permanently discontinued marketing continuing care and continuing care at-home contracts, the office may allow a reduced debt service reserve as required in subsection (1) based upon the ratio of residents under continuing care or continuing care at-home contracts to those residents who do not hold such contracts if the office finds that such reduction is not inconsistent with the security protections intended by this chapter. In making this determination, the office may consider such factors as the financial condition of the facility, the provisions of outstanding continuing care and continuing care at-home contracts, the ratio of residents under continuing care or continuing care at-home contracts to those residents who do not hold such contracts, the current occupancy rates, the previous sales and marketing efforts, the life expectancy of the remaining residents, and the written policies of the board of directors of the provider or a similar board.

(3) If principal and interest payments are paid to a trust that is beneficially held by the residents as described in s. 651.023(7), the office may waive all or any portion of the escrow requirements for mortgage principal and interest contained in subsection (1) if the office finds that such waiver is not inconsistent with the security protections intended by this chapter.

(4) The office, upon approval of a plan for fulfilling the requirements of this section and upon demonstration by the facility of an annual increase in liquid reserves, may extend the time for compliance.

(5) A provider may satisfy the minimum liquid reserve requirements of this section by acquiring from a financial institution, as specified in paragraph (b), a clean, unconditional irrevocable letter of credit equal to the requirements of this section, less the amount of escrowed operating cash required in paragraph (d).

(a) The letter of credit must be issued by a financial institution participating in the State of Florida Treasury Certificate of Deposit Program; a Florida state-chartered bank, savings bank, or trust company; or a federal savings or thrift association, bank, savings bank, or trust company, and must be approved by the office before issuance and before any renewal or modification thereof. At a minimum, the letter of credit must provide for:

1. Ninety days’ prior written notice to both the provider and the office of the financial institution’s determination not to renew or extend the term of the letter of credit.

2. Unless otherwise arranged by the provider to the satisfaction of the office, deposit by the financial institution of letter of credit funds in an account designated by the office no later than 30 days before the expiration of the letter of credit.

3. Deposit by the financial institution of letter of credit funds in an account designated by the office within 4 business days following written instructions from the office that, in the sole judgment of the office, funding of the minimum liquid reserve is required.

(b) The terms of the letter of credit must be approved by the office and the long-term debt of the financial institution providing such letter of credit must be rated in one of their top three long-term debt rating categories by either Moody’s Investors Service, Standard & Poor’s Corporation, or a recognized securities rating agency acceptable to the office.

(c) The letter of credit must name the office as beneficiary.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a provider using a letter of credit pursuant to this subsection shall, at all times, have and maintain in escrow an operating cash reserve equal to 2 months’ operating expenses as determined pursuant to s. 651.026.

(e) If the issuing financial institution no longer participates in the State of Florida Treasury Certificate of Deposit Program, such financial institution shall deposit as collateral with the department eligible securities, as prescribed by s. 625.52, having a market value equal to or greater than 100 percent of the stated amount of the letter of credit.

(6) Each fiscal year, a provider may withdraw up to 33 percent of the total renewal and replacement reserve available. The reserve available is equal to the market value of the invested reserves at the end of the provider’s prior fiscal year. The withdrawal must be used for capital items or major repairs.

(a) Before any funds are eligible for withdrawal, the provider must obtain written permission from the office by submitting the following:

1. The amount of the withdrawal and the intended use of the proceeds.

2. A board resolution and sworn affidavit signed by two officers or general partners of the provider which indicates approval of the withdrawal and use of the funds.

3. Proof that the provider has met all funding requirements for the operating, debt service, and renewal and replacement reserves computed for the previous fiscal year.

4. Anticipated payment schedule for refunding the renewal and replacement reserve fund.

(b) Within 30 days after the withdrawal of funds, the provider must begin refunding the reserve account in equal monthly payments that allow for a complete funding of the withdrawal within 36 months. If the payment schedule required under subparagraph (a)4. has changed, the provider must update the office with the new payment schedule. If the provider fails to make a required monthly payment or the payment is late, the provider must notify the office within 5 days after the due date of the payment. No additional withdrawals from the renewal and replacement reserve will be allowed until all scheduled payments are current.

(7)(a) A provider may withdraw funds held in escrow without the approval of the office if:

1. The amount held in escrow exceeds the requirements of this section and if the withdrawal will not affect compliance with this section; or

2. The withdrawal is from a debt service reserve required to be held in escrow pursuant to a trust indenture or mortgage lien on the facility as described in paragraph (1)(b) and will be used to pay principal or interest payments, which may include property taxes and insurance, that the debtor is obligated to pay when sufficient funds are not available on the next principal or interest payment due date.

The notice specified in paragraph (1)(b) must be sent to the office 10 days before debt service reserve funds may be withdrawn without prior approval.

(b)1. For all other proposed withdrawals, in order to receive the consent of the office, the provider must file documentation showing why the withdrawal is necessary for the continued operation of the facility and such additional information as the office reasonably requires.

2. The office shall notify the provider when the filing is deemed complete. If the provider has complied with all prior requests for information, the filing is deemed complete after 30 days without communication from the office.

3. Within 30 days after the date a file is deemed complete, the office shall provide the provider with written notice of its approval or disapproval of the request. The office may disapprove any request to withdraw such funds if it determines that the withdrawal is not in the best interest of the residents.

(8) The office may order the immediate transfer of up to 100 percent of the funds held in the minimum liquid reserve to the custody of the department pursuant to part III of chapter 625 if the office finds that the provider is impaired or insolvent. The office may order such a transfer regardless of whether the office has suspended or revoked, or intends to suspend or revoke, the certificate of authority of the provider.

(9) Each facility shall file with the office annually, together with the annual report required by s. 651.026, a calculation of its minimum liquid reserve determined in accordance with this section on a form prescribed by the commission.

(10) Any increase in the minimum liquid reserve must be funded not later than 61 days after the minimum liquid reserve calculation is due to be filed as provided in s. 651.026.

(11) If the minimum liquid reserve is less than the required minimum amount at the end of any fiscal quarter due to a change in the market value of the invested funds, the provider must fund the shortfall within 10 business days.