2016 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 63. Public Health and Safety
§63-5022. Nursing facilities serving adults and intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded - Wage and salary adjustment.

A. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority shall grant a wage and salary adjustment (including employee benefits) to be paid as an enhancement to the facility per diem for specified employees in nursing facilities serving adults (NFs) and intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded (ICFs/MR) effective May 1, 1997. The adjustment shall not exceed Three Dollars and fifteen cents ($3.15) per patient day (PPD) for NFs, Four Dollars and twenty cents ($4.20) PPD for standard private ICFs/MR, and Five Dollars and fifteen cents ($5.15) PPD for specialized private ICFs/MR. The wage enhancement expenditures paid by the facilities shall be audited quarterly against appropriately inflated base period expenditures for the specified employees. Allowable program expenditures are limited to enhanced salaries, wages and benefits for the specified employees, in addition to additional specified staff cost for increased quality of care. Following the reporting quarter, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority shall make an adjustment based on the difference between the enhancement payments (the maximum) and the actual cost (if less) as reported by the facility during the preceding quarter. The specified employee positions to be covered under this section shall be limited to the following: licensed practical nurse, nurse aide, certified medication aide, social service director, other social service staff, activities director, social worker, therapy aide assistant, and activities staff.

B. Beginning October 1, 1998, any nursing home facility found to be in compliance with the State Wage Enhancement Program for two (2) consecutive audited quarters beginning with the 4th Qtr FY98 (April 1-June 30, 1998) shall not be required to submit any quarterly enhancement report but shall be subject to the Authority's regular cost reporting process and the Authority's normal auditing procedures. Furthermore, these compliant facilities will no longer be required to account for these funds separate and apart from the standard per diem rate.

C. Those facilities choosing not to participate in the program and those participating facilities which have not demonstrated compliance for two (2) consecutive quarters, beginning with the 4th Qtr FY98 (April 1-June 30, 1998), will be allowed one (1) year, beginning July 1, 1999, to meet compliance requirements. During this one-year period, these facilities shall be subject to the quarterly reporting process and will be required to reimburse the Authority for expenditures determined to be in noncompliance with the wage enhancement program. Facilities within these groups which are subsequently found to be in compliance for two (2) consecutive audited quarters will no longer be required to submit quarterly enhancement reports. Facilities not in compliance by June 30, 2000, will no longer be allowed to participate in the program.

D. A change in ownership of a facility which was noncompliant at June 30, 2000, and was excluded from participating in the wage enhancement program, will be allowed to participate in the program and will have one (1) year to demonstrate compliance.

Added by Laws 1996, c. 326, § 8, eff. July 1, 1996. Amended by Laws 1998, c. 392, § 7, eff. Sept. 1, 1998; Laws 1999, c. 348, § 2, eff. July 1, 1999.