The department shall pay a nursing facility to reserve a bed during an eligible individual's temporary absence from the nursing facility. Payment is limited to a maximum of five days if the absence is due to admission to an acute care general hospital and a maximum of 15 consecutive days if the absence is for therapeutic home visits and the absence has been provided for in the individual's plan of care. After 15 days of therapeutic home visiting, the individual shall be considered a new admission on return to the facility.

Payment is limited to 100 percent of the allowable per diem rate for the facility as established under the provisions of chapter 67:16:04.

No payment may be made to a state-owned institution for reserving a bed during an individual's absence.

Source: SL 1975, ch 16, § 1; 1 SDR 30, effective October 13, 1974; 2 SDR 71, effective April 29, 1976; 4 SDR 35, effective December 22, 1977; 7 SDR 66, 7 SDR 89, effective July 1, 1981; 11 SDR 26, effective August 21, 1984; 15 SDR 68, effective November 7, 1988; 16 SDR 26, effective August 13, 1989; transferred from § 67:16:04:14, 18 SDR 67, effective October 13, 1991.

General Authority: SDCL 28-6-1.

Law Implemented: SDCL 28-6-1.