TITLE 33 INSURANCE

Section 45. Continuing Care Providers and Facilities, 33-45-1 through 33-45-14.

ARTICLE 4 LIQUIDATION PROCEEDINGS

33-45-7. Requirements for continuing care agreements, addenda, and amendments.

1. In addition to other provisions considered proper to effectuate any continuing care agreement, addendum, or amendment, each such agreement, addendum, or amendment shall be in writing and shall:
   1. Provide for the continuing care or limited continuing care of only one resident, or for two persons occupying space designed for double occupancy under appropriate regulations established by the provider, and shall state the total consideration to be paid, including a list of all properties transferred and their market value at the time of transfer, including donations, subscriptions, fees, and any other amounts paid or payable by, or on behalf of, the resident or residents;
   2. Specify all services which are to be provided by the provider to each resident, including, in detail, all items which each resident will receive, whether the items will be provided for a designated time period or for life, and whether the services will be available on the premises or at another specified location. The provider shall indicate which services or items are included in the monthly care fee and which services or items are made available at or by the facility at extra charge. Such items may include, but are not limited to, food, lodging, personal services or nursing care, drugs, burial, and incidentals;
   3. Describe the terms and conditions under which the continuing care agreement may be canceled by the provider or by a resident and the conditions, if any, under which all or any portion of the entrance fee will be refunded in the event of cancellation of the continuing care agreement by the provider or by the resident, including the effect of death of or any change in the health or financial condition of a person between the date of entering a continuing care agreement and the date of initial occupancy of a residential unit by that person;
   4. Describe:
      1. The residential unit;
      2. Any property rights of the resident;
      3. The health and financial conditions required for a person to be accepted as a resident and to continue as a resident, once accepted, including the effect of any change in the health or financial condition of a person between the date of entering into a continuing care agreement and the date of taking occupancy in a residential unit;
      4. The conditions under which a residential unit occupied by a resident may be made available by the provider to a different or new resident other than on the death of the prior resident;
      5. The policies to be implemented and the circumstances under which the resident will be permitted to remain in the facility in the event of financial difficulties of the resident; and
      6. The procedures the provider shall follow to change the resident's accommodation if necessary for the protection of the health or safety of the resident or of the general and economic welfare of the facility;
   5. State the fees that will be charged if the resident marries while at the designated facility, the terms concerning the entry of a spouse to the facility, and the consequences if the spouse does not meet the requirements for entry;
   6. State whether the funds or property transferred for the care of the resident is:
      1. Nonrefundable, in which event the continuing care agreement shall comply with this subparagraph. Such continuing care agreement shall allow a 90 day trial period of residency in the facility during which time the provider, resident, or person who provided the transfer of funds or property for the care of such resident may cancel the agreement after written notice. A refund shall be made of such funds, property, or both within 120 days after the receipt of such notice and shall be calculated on a pro rata basis with the provider retaining no more than 10 percent of the amount of the entry fee. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subparagraph, the provisions of paragraph (7) of this subsection and the provisions of subsections (b) and (e) of this Code section shall apply to nonrefundable continuing care agreements; or
      2. Refundable, in which event the continuing care agreement shall comply with this subparagraph. Such continuing care agreement may be canceled upon the giving of written notice of cancellation of at least 30 days by the provider, the resident, or the person who provided the transfer of property or funds for the care of such resident; provided, however, that if a continuing care agreement is canceled because there has been a good faith determination that a resident is a threat to his or her health or safety or to the health or safety of others, only such notice as is reasonable under the circumstances shall be required. The continuing care agreement shall further provide in clear and understandable language, in print no smaller than the largest type used in the body of the continuing care agreement, the terms governing the refund of any portion of the entrance fee, which terms shall include a provision that all refunds be made within 120 days of notification. The moneys refunded to the resident may be from the escrow account required by Code Section 33-45-8 or from other funds available to the provider, and the continuing care agreement shall further comply with the following requirements:
         1. For a resident whose continuing care agreement with the facility provides that the resident does not receive a transferable membership or ownership right in the facility and who has occupied his or her residential unit, the refund shall be calculated on a pro rata basis with the facility retaining no more than 2 percent per month of occupancy by the resident and no more than a 4 percent fee for processing. Such refund shall be paid no later than 120 days after the giving of notice of intention to cancel; or
         2. If the continuing care agreement provides for the facility to retain no more than 1 percent per month of occupancy by the resident, it may provide that such refund will be payable upon receipt by the provider of the next entrance fee for any comparable residential unit upon which there is no prior claim by any resident; provided, however, that the agreement may define the term "comparable residential unit upon which there is no prior claim"; specifically delineate when such refund is due; and establish the order of priority of refunds to residents. Unless the provisions of subsection (e) of this Code section apply, for any prospective resident, except when such resident receives a transferable membership or ownership right in a resident owned living unit, who cancels the agreement prior to occupancy of the residential unit, the refund shall be the entire amount paid toward the entrance fee, less a processing fee not to exceed 4 percent of the entire entrance fee, but in no event shall such processing fee exceed the amount paid by the prospective resident. Such refund shall be paid no later than 60 days after the giving of notice of intention to cancel. For a resident who has occupied his or her residential unit and who has received a transferable membership or ownership right in the facility, the foregoing refund provisions shall not apply but shall be deemed satisfied by the acquisition or receipt of a transferable membership or an ownership right in the facility. The provider shall not charge any fee for the transfer of membership or sale of an ownership right. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to require a continuing care agreement to provide a refund to more than one resident at a time upon the vacation of a specific comparable residential unit;
   7. State the terms under which a continuing care agreement is canceled by the death of the resident. These terms may contain a provision that, upon the death of a resident, the entrance fee of such resident shall be considered earned and shall become the property of the provider. When the unit is shared, the conditions with respect to the effect of the death or removal of one of the residents shall be included in the continuing care agreement;
   8. Require:
      1. The continuing care agreement to provide for advance notice to the resident, of not less than 60 days, before any change in fees or charges or the scope of care or services may be effective, except for changes required by state or federal assistance programs;
      2. A description of the manner by which the provider may adjust periodic charges or other recurring fees and the limitations on these adjustments, if any; and
      3. A description of any policy regarding fee adjustments if the resident is voluntarily absent from the facility;
   9. Provide that charges for care paid in one lump sum shall not be increased or changed during the duration of the agreed upon care, except for changes required by state or federal assistance programs; and
   10. Describe the policy of the provider regarding reserve funding.
2. Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (a)(6)(A) of this Code section, a resident has the right to rescind a continuing care agreement, without penalty or forfeiture, within seven days after executing such continuing care agreement. During the seven-day period, the resident's funds shall be retained in an escrow account in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of Code Section 33-45-8. A resident shall not be required to move into the facility designated in the continuing care agreement before the expiration of the seven-day period. In the event that the prospective resident exercises his or her right to rescind the continuing care agreement within seven days of executing such continuing care agreement, the facility shall return any portion of the entrance fee paid by the resident within 30 days of receipt of the prospective resident's notice of rescission.
3. The continuing care agreement shall include or shall be accompanied by a statement, printed in boldface type, which reads: "This facility and all continuing care agreements in this state are regulated by Chapter 45 of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. A copy of the law is on file in this facility. The law gives you or your legal representative the right to inspect our most recent disclosure statement before signing the agreement."
4. Before the transfer of any money or other property, other than an application fee which shall not exceed $1,500.00, to a provider by or on behalf of a prospective resident, the provider shall present a typewritten or printed copy of the continuing care agreement and the disclosure statement required pursuant to Code Section 33-45-10 to the prospective resident and all other parties to the agreement. The provider shall secure a signed, dated statement from each party to the contract certifying that a copy of the continuing care agreement and the disclosure statement was received.
5. If a resident dies before occupying the facility or, through illness, injury, or incapacity, is precluded from becoming a resident under the terms of the continuing care agreement, the agreement shall be automatically canceled, and the resident or his or her legal representative shall receive a full refund of all moneys paid to the facility, except those costs specifically incurred by the facility at the request of the resident and set forth in writing in a separate addendum, signed by both parties, to the agreement.
6. In order to comply with this Code section, a provider may furnish information not contained in the continuing care agreement through an addendum.
7. The Commissioner may also require the provider to submit to him or her a copy of the continuing care agreement generally used by the provider; provided, however, that nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the department from requiring the submission of an individual contract between the provider and the resident.

(Code 1981, §33-45-7, enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 1817, § 1; Ga. L. 2011, p. 315, § 1/SB 166; Ga. L. 2012, p. 775, § 33/HB 942; Ga. L. 2014, p. 375, § 3/SB 304.)

The 2011 amendment, effective July 1, 2011, rewrote this Code section.

The 2012 amendment, effective May 1, 2012, part of an Act to revise, modernize, and correct the Code, substituted "a list of all properties" for "a list all properties" in paragraph (a)(1).

The 2014 amendment, effective July 1, 2014, substituted "except when such resident receives a transferable membership or ownership right in a resident owned living unit" for "regardless of whether or not such resident receives a transferable membership or ownership right in the facility" in the second sentence of division (a)(6)(B)(ii).