STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2022 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman MILA M. JASEY
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
Assemblywoman ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Requires continuing care retirement community agreements to require refund of refundable entrance fees within one year.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning continuing care retirement community contracts and amending P.L.1986, c.103 and P.L.2013, c.167.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 15 of P.L.1986, c.103 (C.52:27D-344) is amended to read as follows:
15. a. A continuing care agreement executed on or after the effective date of [this act] P.L.1986, c.103 (C.52:27D-330 et seq.) shall be written in plain English and in language understandable by a layperson and shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) A provision for the continuing care of one resident, or two or more residents occupying space designed for multiple occupancy under appropriate procedures established by the provider, and a statement showing the value of all property transferred, including donations, subscriptions, fees and any other amounts payable by, or on behalf of, the resident;
(2) A statement on a form provided by the commissioner specifying all services which are to be provided to the resident by the provider, including, in detail, all items which the resident will receive, such as food, shelter, nursing care, pharmaceuticals and burial, and whether the items will be provided for a designated period of time or for life;
(3) A description of the health and financial conditions upon which the provider may have the resident relinquish his space in the designated facility;
(4) A description of the health and financial conditions required for a person to continue as a resident;
(5) A description of the circumstances under which the resident shall be permitted to remain in the facility in the event of financial difficulties of the resident. The stated policy may not be less than the terms stated in subsection e. of this section;
(6) A statement of the fees that will be charged if the resident marries a person who is not a resident of the facility, the terms concerning the entry of a spouse into the facility and the consequences if the spouse does not meet the requirements for entry;
(7) A statement providing that the agreement may be canceled upon giving at least 60 days' notice by the provider or the resident, except that if an agreement is canceled by the provider because there has been a good faith determination in writing, signed by the medical director and the administrator of the facility, that a resident is a danger to himself or others, only notice that is reasonable under the circumstances is required;
(8) A statement providing in clear and understandable language, in print no smaller than the largest type used in the body of the agreement, the terms governing the refund of any portion of the entrance fee;
(9) A statement of the terms under which an agreement is canceled by the death of the resident, which statement may contain a provision stating that upon the death of the resident the moneys paid for the continuing care of the resident shall be considered earned and become the property of the provider; [and]
(10) A statement providing for at least 30 days' advance notice to the resident before any change in fees or changes in the scope of care or services are effective, except for changes required by State or federal assistance programs; and
(11) For an agreement entered into on or after the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), a statement that, notwithstanding any other provision of law or the agreement to the contrary, when the resident is eligible for refund of a refundable entrance fee, the balance of the refundable entrance fee that is owed to the resident shall be refunded within one year after the resident ceases to be a resident of the facility, in the same manner as provided in subsection e. of this section.
b. A resident has the right to rescind a continuing care agreement without penalty or forfeiture, 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, within 30 days after making an initial deposit or executing the agreement. A resident shall not be required to move into the facility designated in the agreement before the expiration of the 30 day period.
c. If a resident dies before the occupancy date, 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 rescinded and the resident or the resident's 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.
d. No agreement for care shall permit dismissal or discharge of the resident from the facility prior to the expiration of the agreement without just cause for the removal. For the purposes of [this act] P.L.1986, c.103 (C.52:27D-330 et seq.), "just cause" means but is not limited to a good faith determination in writing, signed by the medical director and the administrator of the facility, that a resident is a danger to himself or others while remaining in the facility. The written determination shall state: (1) that the determination is made in good faith; (2) the reasons supporting the determination that the resident is a danger to himself or others; (3) the basis for the conclusion that there is no less restrictive alternative to dismissal, discharge or cancellation, as the case may be, for abating the dangerousness of the resident; and (4) the basis for the conclusion that the danger is such that a notice period of less than 60 days is appropriate.
If a facility dismisses a resident for just cause, the resident shall be entitled to a refund of [his] the residents unearned entrance fee, if any, in the same manner as provided in subsection e. of this section. A resident may request a hearing to contest a facility's decision to dismiss or discharge the resident. The hearing shall be held pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).
e. It shall not be deemed just cause if the resident is unable to pay monthly maintenance fees until the entire unearned entrance fee plus, where applicable, any third-party insurance benefits received, are earned by the facility. For the purpose of this subsection, the unearned portion shall be the difference between the entrance fee paid by, or on behalf of, the resident and the cost of caring for the resident based upon the per capita cost to the facility. In lieu of calculating the actual per capita cost of caring for a resident, a facility may provide, in the agreement for continuing care, that the per capita cost of caring for the resid