02-004752
W. Frank Wells Nursing Home vs.
Agency For Health Care Administration
Status: Closed
Recommended Order on Monday, December 15, 2003.
Recommended Order on Monday, December 15, 2003.
1STATE OF FLORIDA
4DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS
8W. FRANK WELLS NURSING HOME, )
14)
15Petitioner, )
17)
18vs. ) Case Nos. 02 - 4752
25) 02 - 4827
29AGENCY FOR HEALTH CARE )
34ADMINISTRATION, )
36)
37Respondent. )
39)
40RECOMMENDED ORDER
42Pursuant to notice this cause came on for formal proceeding
52before P. Michael Ruff, duly - designated Administrative Law Judge
62of the Division of Administrative Hearings in Tallahassee,
70Florida, on August 13, 2003. The appearances were as follows:
80APPEARANCES
81For Petitioner: John D. Buchanan, Jr., Esquire
88Henry, Buchanan, Hudson,
91Suber & Carter, P.A.
95117 South Gadsden Street
99Tallahassee, Florida 32301
102For Respondent: Tom R. Moore, Assistan t General Counsel
111Agency for Health Care Administration
116Office of the Attorney General
1212727 Mahan Drive, Building III
126Tallahassee, Florida 32308
129STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES
133The issues to be resolved in this proceeding concern
142whether th e Petitioner should be assessed a late fee, pursuant
153to Section 400.111, Florida Statutes, for the late filing of the
164Petitioner's 2001 license renewal application and, if so, the
173amount of the fee.
177PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
179This proceeding arose upon the fil ing of two cases later
190consolidated, before the Division of Administrative Hearings
197(DOAH). DOAH Case No. 02 - 4752 is the earlier case concerning
209the late filing of the 2001 application for licensure and the
220related late fee. The issues concerning this ca se are
230delineated above. The later case is DOAH Case No. 02 - 4827
242involving the denial by the Agency for Health Care
251Administration (AHCA) of the 2002 application for license
259renewal filed by W. Frank Wells Nursing Home (Facility).
268A Pre - hearing Stipula tion was filed by the parties
279indicating that the parties had settled the issues regarding the
2892002 licensure denial case, with the exception of an issue
299concerning liability insurance coverage. Upon the convening of
307the formal hearing, the parties announ ced that they had resolved
318that last issue in Case No. 02 - 4827, thus resolving that case in
332its entirety and it has been voluntarily dismissed. In
341conjunction with that announcement the parties modified their
349Pre - hearing Stipulation by striking substantia l portions of it,
360paragraphs 5, 6, 14, 20 through 32, and 35. This removes those
372stipulated findings of fact which pertain to issues resolved by
382the parties, resulting in a simplified stipulation that relates
391only to the remaining 2001 late application, l ate - fee case. The
404original Pre - hearing Stipulation was accepted as Joint Exhibit
414A, and the revised Pre - Hearing Stipulation submitted by the
425parties was denominated as Joint Exhibit B and was accepted.
435Additionally, the parties have agreed that the late fee at issue
446is in a maximum amount of $5,000.00.
454The parties stipulated that certain exhibits could be
462admitted, as relevant to the remaining late - filing fee case at
474issue. Thus, they stipulated that AHCA Exhibits 1 through 5
484should be admitted and that Petitioner's Exhibits 1 through 7,
49416, 19, and 20 should be admitted. The stipulation was
504accepted.
505AHCA moved ore tenus , that with the advent of the revised
516Pre - Hearing Stipulation and the admitted exhibits submitted by
526AHCA, that all material facts as to the remaining late
536application, late - filing fee case were established and that
546therefore no genuine issue of material fact remained to be
556determined in this forum. The Respondent thus moved for
565relinquishment of jurisdiction or remand to AHCA for an i nformal
576proceeding.
577The Petitioner asserted that the testimony and evidence
585should be heard as to certain remaining disputed facts. The
595Petitioner argued that there were disputed facts concerning
603whether the Petitioner could have secured the required bon d
613within the time necessary to timely file its application;
622whether it had been misled by AHCA concerning the Petitioner's
632misunderstanding of the existence of an AHCA policy that
641applications could be timely filed even if incomplete because of
651a lack of t he required lease bond; and concerning also whether
663AHCA had waived the lease bond requirement because it had
673accepted "unconditional guarantees" in previous years in lieu of
682lease bonds.
684Because there appeared to be some disputes of fact
693remaining to b e resolved, the Motion to Relinquish or Remand was
705denied and testimony and evidence was taken concerning the
714issues referenced next above and as to mitigation of the sought
725$5,000.00 late - filing fee.
731The Petitioner (Facility) presented the testimony of its
739Chief Executive Officer, Dennis R. Markos, and Maria Allen, the
749Petitioner's Chief Financial Officer. The Respondent (AHCA)
756presented the testimony of James A. Kemp, its Health Services
766and Facilities Consultant, and Molly McKinstrey, AHCA's bureau
774C hief of the Bureau of Long Term Care Services. Upon concluding
786the proceeding the parties had the proceedings transcribed and
795in due course timely submitted Proposed Recommended Orders which
804have been considered in the rendition of this Recommended Order.
814FINDINGS OF FACT
8171. The parties have agreed in the Pre - hearing Stipulation
828and revised Pre - hearing Stipulation to the following undisputed
838facts. These facts are quoted and numbered in the manner
848numbered in the stipulations. Where numbered paragraphs are
856omitted below the omissions are because the parties have agreed
866that those paragraphs of the stipulations have no relevance to
876the late - filing fee case which is the only remaining disputed
888case between the parties. The following facts are thus found in
899accordance with the parties' stipulations.
9041. BAKER COUNTY MEDICAL is a non - profit
913501(c)3 corporation that leases the land and
920buildings comprising, and operates but does
926not own, a clinic, a hospital and a nursing
935home ( the latter, the W. FRANK WELL S
944NURSING HOME, referenced herein as the
950Facility), in Baker County, Florida. The
956lease is between BAKER COUNTY MEDICAL as the
964lessee and the BAKER COUNTY HOSPITAL
970AUTHORITY [the Authority] as the lessor.
976[The Authority, according to the prospectus
982docum ents, owns the clinic, hospital and
989nursing home buildings, the site (about 8
996acres) and the equipment utilized at the
1003clinic, hospital and nursing home.
1008Petitioner now wishes to assert that it does
1016own the buildings and did own the buildings
1024at all times pertinent to this dispute.]
10312. The Authority and BAKER COUNTY MEDICAL
1038entered into the referenced lease as a
1045condition to the financing by and through
1052the Authority's "Health Care Facilities
1057Revenue Bonds" for the demolition of the old
1065then - existing hos pital building and nursing
1073home and the construction of a new hospital
1081and nursing home. The lease runs to 2025
1089and involves the payoff by Petitioner of the
1097authorized $11,650,000 in revenue bonds by
1105and through the operation of the hospital
1112and nursing h ome by Petitioner during the
1120period of the lease.
11243. The subject nursing home Facility is
1131licensed under Chapter 400, Florida
1136Statutes. The hospital is licensed under
1142Chapter 395, Florida Statutes. AHCA is the
1149state's licensing and regulatory agency fo r
1156both of these facilities under those
1162chapters.
11634. On its 2000 license renewal application,
1170Petitioner indicated that the Facility was
1176leased and thereafter filed a lease bond
1183that met the requirements of Section
1189400.179(5)(d), Florida Statutes, (2000).
11937. By letter dated June 4, 2001, AHCA
1201advised Petitioner that its license would
1207expire on October 31, 2001, and that the
1215license renewal application and fees are due
1222and payable ninety (90) days before the
1229expiration date. See AHCA's Exhibit 1.
1235That i s, the annual license renewal cycle
1243for Petitioner's Facility commences each
1248August 1st.
12508. On August 13, 2001, Petitioner signed
1257its 2001 license renewal application. This
1263was submitted to and received by AHCA on
1271August 14, 2001. See AHCA's Exhibit 2.
12789. AHCA, by letter to Petitioner, dated
1285August 22, 2001, informed Petitioner that
1291the "Medicaid Lease Surety Bond submitted
1297for the (2001) license renewal" was
"1303insufficient in the amount" required by the
1310lease bond statute. AHCA Exhibit 3.
131610. Petit ioner's 2001 license renewal
1322application was due on August 1, 2001, and
1330was submitted to AHCA 13 days late.
1337Petitioner's license certificate #6304 shows
1342Petitioner's licensure for the period from
134811/01/2000 to 10/31/2001. See AHCA Exhibit
13544 (license cert ificate, together with AHCA's
1361cover letter of October 3, 2000).
136711. AHCA, by NOTICE OF INTENT TO IMPOSE
1375LATE FINE, dated August 25, 2001, informed
1382Petitioner of its intent to impose a
1389statutory fee of $5,000.00 for the late
1397filing of the 2001 application , pursuant to
1404§ 400.111, Florida Statutes, AHCA Exhibit 5.
141112. By Petition for Formal Proceeding Under
1418§ 120.57, dated September 12, 2001,
1424Petitioner sought administrative review of
1429the 2001 notice to impose the $5,000.00 late
1438fee. In its petition, Peti tioner asserts as
1446disputed issues of material fact that:
1452(a) "The Petitioner was required to
1458file a bond with its renewal application."
1465(b) "The application could not be
1471filed without the bond."
1475(c) "There is no provision in
1481400.111(1) , [Florida Statutes] Florida
1485Administrative Code or the rules, to submit
1492the application without the bond with an
1499explanation that the bond could not be
1506attached to the application to avoid a
1513penalty."
151413. In response to Petitioner's assertions
1520above, AH CA asserts that it has and has had
1530at all times material to this dispute, a
1538uniformly applied policy and practice for
1544processing annual license renewal
1548applications, as follows: (a) that any
1554license renewal application that is filed by
1561its due date, whic h application is not
1569complete in some way, including that the
1576application does not include some item that
1583is necessary to the granting of the
1590application for renewal of the license, is
1597deemed by AHCA as timely filed though
1604incomplete; and (b) that the applicant is
1611thereupon notified by AHCA as to the basis
1619for any determination by AHCA that the
1626application is incomplete.
1629* * *
163215. In years prior to Petitioner's filing
1639of its 2000 license renewal application,
1645AHCA had accepted certain "unconditional
1650guarantees" in lieu of lease bonds from
1657lessees of nursing facilities, including
1662from Petitioner, to establish facilities'
1667compliance with Section 400.179(5)(d),
1671Florida Statutes; however, by the due date
1678of Petitioner's 2000 license renewal
1683application, A HCA had ceased accepting such
1690unconditional guarantees from nursing home
1695applicants. AHCA so informed Petitioner and
1701refused to accept any such unconditional
1707guarantee from Petitioner in lieu of a lease
1715bond to establish compliance with the law as
1723to Peti tioner's 2000 annual license renewal.
173016. Petitioner asserts, and AHCA does not
1737dispute here, that in the summer of 2001,
1745Petitioner had considerable difficulty in
1750securing a lease bond as then required by
1758law of a lessee of a facility, which lease
1767bond Petitioner intended to file with a
1774timely filed 2001 license renewal
1779application.
178017. Petitioner also asserts, and AHCA does
1787not dispute, that in the summer of 2001,
1795Petitioner did not understand that AHCA
1801treats a license renewal application as
1807timely f iled if it is filed within the
1816deadline for filing, even though the
1822application is incomplete; for example, for
1828not attaching a lease bond.
183318. Petitioner further asserts, and AHCA
1839does not dispute, that Petitioner's filing
"1845only" thirteen (13) days late in 2001 was
1853accomplished by Petitioner due to great
1859effort on Petitioner's part to secure a
1866lease bond from third parties over whom
1873Petitioner asserts that it had no control.
188019. In 2002, the Florida Legislature
1886enacted chapter 2002 - 223, Laws of Florida ,
1894effective May 15, 2002, which among other
1901things (in its section 28) added the
1908language to Section 400.179(5)(d), Florida
1913Statutes, which today appears as the last
1920sentence of subparagraph 6 of that section
1927(numbered as subparagraph 5 in the 2002
1934amendme nt). The pertinent part reads:
1940(d)6 . . . A lease agreement required
1948as a condition of bond financing or
1955refinancing under § 154.213 by a health
1962facilities authority or required under
1967§ 159.30 by a county or municipality is not
1976a leasehold for purposes of this paragraph
1983and is not subject to the bond requirement
1991of this paragraph.
199433. As to the 2002 lease bond matter,
2002Petitioner represents, and AHCA does not
2008dispute based upon documents provided to
2014AHCA by Petitioner in May 2003:
2020(a) t hat the referenced lease between
2027the Authority and Petitioner is identified
2033as an "Amended and Restated Lease Agreement"
2040dated August 1, 1998, in the documents for
2048issuance of the related "Health Care
2054Facilities Revenue Bonds;"
2057(b) that the referenc ed lease was
2064required as a condition of financing through
2071the Authority for the demolition of the old
2079hospital and nursing home and the
2085construction of the new hospital and nursing
2092home operated by Petitioner; and
2097(c) that the lease between the
2103Auth ority and the Petitioner contains the
2110indicia of a lease by a health facilities
2118authority under § 154.213, Florida Statutes.
2124See letter of July 3, 2003, from
2131counsel for Petitioner, outlining the status
2137of the lease as a lease under the statute,
2146atta ched hereto as AHCA's Exhibit 9.
215334. In light of such uncontested
2159representations by Petitioner regarding the
2164status of the Authority's lease to
2170Petitioner, AHCA and Petitioner mutually
2175submit a confession of error as to the
2183existence of a legal requirem ent for
2190Petitioner, even though Petitioner is a
2196lessee of the Facility, to provide a lease
2204bond with its 2002 annual license renewal
2211application. That is, by virtue of the
2218referenced 2002 amendment to the lease bond
2225provisions of the statute, the lease wi th
2233the Authority is accepted by AHCA as within
2241those leases to which the statutory
2247exemption applies, which thus relieves
2252Petitioner from the requirement for filing a
2259lease bond as to its 2002 renewal
2266application.
22672. The Petitioner submits that admitted or stipulated
2275facts 15 through 34, as quoted above, are relevant and material
2286and should entitle the Petitioner to mitigation or reduction, if
2296not elimination, of the late - filing fee. AHCA, by stipulating
2307to the accuracy to those facts, does not, however , agree that
2318those facts require mitigation as to the amount of the late -
2330filing fee for late - filing of the 2001 renewal application.
23413. AHCA, on or about June 4, 2001, sent a letter to the
2354Petitioner, wherein it was stated:
2359The license to operate the above named
2366Facility expires October 31, 2001. It is a
2374violation of Florida Statutes to operate a
2381nursing home facility without a valid
2387license.
2388In order to continue to operate the
2395Facility, it is necessary that the enclosed
2402application form(s) be compl eted and
2408returned with the appropriate license
2413fee. . . .
2417The application and fee are due 90 days
2425before the expiration date noted above.
2431Failure to file a renewal application within
2438this time frame will result in the
2445imposition of a late fee as allowe d by
2454Florida Statute. Application without
2458licensure fees will not be accepted, and the
2466application will be returned without
2471processing. . . (Petitioner Exhibit 2 in
2478evidence.)
24794. The instructions under "number 12" of the instructions
2488accompanying that letter stated:
2492Attach a copy of the surety bond or
2500membership in a self - insurance pool.
25075. There are no instructions in that letter to the effect
2518that an incomplete application could be filed and would be
2528accepted as timely - filed even if incomplete.
25366. Maria Allen is the CFO of Baker County Medical
2546Services, Inc. (Facility). She was designated as the person
2555responsible for filing the nursing home renewal application at
2564issue. Ms. Allen relied upon the instructions in the above -
2575referenced letter and on the form and understood that a
2585completed application had to be filed with the agency. It was
2596Ms. Allen's understanding that the application had to be
2605submitted in complete form including both relevant surety bonds.
2614Thus, she was under the impression t hat the application could
2625only be submitted in complete form. Neither Ms. Allen nor the
2636Facility was ever informed by any personnel of AHCA, verbally or
2647in writing, that an incomplete application could be submitted
2656and would be considered as timely, provi ded the necessary fee
2667was submitted with an incomplete application.
26737. Ms. Allen was aware that the application should be
2683filed by August 1, 2001. She was having difficulties with the
2694surety company because, as shown by Exhibit 20 in evidence, the
2705sur ety company had moved its offices and had misplaced the
2716nursing home's bond application documents. She repeatedly
2723called the surety company or its broker or agent to determine
2734when the surety bond would be ready. The surety bond was
2745promised by the suret y company prior to the deadline. In fact,
2757the surety bond was delayed and was submitted to Ms. Allen some
276911 to 12 days later. When she received the bond, she thereupon
"2781over - nighted" a completed application with the bond
2790accompanying it to the Responden t, such that the application was
2801filed 13 days late. In the fact of the surety bond company's
2813delay, it was unreasonable and impracticable for Ms. Allen to
2823seek an alternative surety bond company or agency because it
2833would take considerably more time to g et a new surety company to
2846issue a surety bond, after starting that process over again.
28568. After she submitted the application 13 days late, she
2866never had any advice from AHCA to the effect that she could have
2879submitted an incomplete application.
28839. Mr. James Kemp is the Health Services and Facilities
2893consultant who reviewed and received renewal applications,
2900including that of the Petitioner. Mr. Kemp maintains that he
2910seldom received a renewal application with the renewal bond
2919attached. He maintain s that only ten percent of applications
2929are first submitted in complete fashion. He stated that the
2939same instructions are sent out to all nursing facilities that
2949are leased. Incomplete applications come in with defects such
2958as typing errors or other erro rs or omissions. AHCA reviews for
2970errors or omissions and informs the applicant as to what is
2981needed to properly complete an application. If a nursing home
2991does not correct the omission within 90 days, the date of
3002license expiration, AHCA will send a not ice of intent to deny.
3014Mr. Kemp stated that there was no fine or penalty for nursing
3026homes if omissions or errors are corrected within 90 days.
303610. The W. Frank Wells Nursing Home only filed a lease
3047bond once before, with its 2000 application. Prior to that time
3058it was not legally required to file a lease bond. The prior
3070lease bond and application filed for the year 2000 was filed on
3082time. Thus, there was no reason at that time for the Facility
3094to have known of any policy which would allow an incom plete
3106application to be submitted on the due date, to be completed
3117within 90 days thereafter. Because neither Mr. Kemp nor any
3127other agency personnel, by letter, written instructions, or
3135verbally, ever informed the Petitioner that AHCA would accept an
3145inc omplete application as timely filed, the only way the
3155Facility could have learned of that policy would be to inquire
3166of the Agency by letter or by phone call. This was not done
3179because the Facility and Ms. Allen had no information that would
3190alert them to that possibility.
319511. Ms. Molly McKinstrey is Bureau Chief for Long Term
3205Care Services. In her testimony she acknowledged that the
3214statute, Section 400.111, Florida Statutes, does not use the
3223modifier "incomplete" or "complete." She also admits that t he
3233language of the letter, Petitioner's Exhibit Two, referenced -
3242above, as well as the application document, references the
3251requirement that the application be completed and returned with
3260the appropriate license fee. She also admits that the Agency
3270has a r egularly - established, unwritten policy that the Agency
3281will accept an incomplete application, filed before the
3289deadline, as a timely application.
329412. There is no evidence that the Respondent Agency makes
3304a practice of giving notice of this policy in any way unless a
3317substantially affected party makes inquiry of the Agency. If
3326Ms. Allen and the Facility had been informed, before the
3336August 1 deadline, of this routinely followed, unwritten policy,
3345the Facility would have filed the application timely and t hen
3356submitted the surety bond at such time thereafter as it was
3367obtained. Further, the evidence establishes that Ms. Allen, in
3376June 2001, soon after receiving the notice letter of June 4,
33872001, began immediate steps to timely obtain the required surety
3397bo nd. The bond was not obtained in time to submit the
3409application with the bond on August 1 due to no fault of the
3422Facility but rather due to the mistakes made by the surety bond
3434company or its agents.
3438CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
344113. The Division of Administrati ve Hearings has
3449jurisdiction of the subject matter of and the parties to this
3460proceeding. §§ 120.569 and 120.57(1), Florida Statutes (2003).
346814. Pursuant to Section 400.411, Florida Statutes, a
3476skilled nursing facility such as the Petitioner is required to
3486file an annual application for renewal of its license at least
349790 days prior to the expiration of its current license.
350715. In this license renewal statute the Legislature
3515provides for a late - filing fee in the following language:
3526The failure to file a n application within
3534the period established in this subsection
3540shall result in a late fee charged to the
3549licensee by the Agency in an amount equal to
355850 percent of the fee in effect on the last
3568preceding regular renewal date. A late fee
3575shall be levied fo r each and every day the
3585filing of the license application is
3591delayed, but in no event shall such fine
3599aggregate more than $5,000.00.
360416. The use of the word "shall" in the above - quoted
3616statutory authority for the assessment and amount of such fee
3626wou ld appear to be mandatory language. AHCA, however, did not
3637cite any decisional law which would preclude an administrative
3646law judge the authority to mitigate a late - filing fee imposed
3658pursuant to Section 400.411, Florida Statutes. AHCA submitted
3666that it knew of no such authority for the agency itself to
3678reduce the fee amount established by this statute, except
3687through and as a part of settlement of litigation. That
3697acknowledgement, however, is tacit recognition that the
3704statutory requirement to assess th e late fee is waivable by the
3716party which has authority to assess the late fee.
372517. The preponderant evidence culminating in the above
3733Findings of Fact establishes that there are circumstances which
3742should excuse the assessment of the late fee. The Peti tioner
3753had, for many years, not been required to file the subject
3764surety bond but rather was allowed to submit "unconditional
3773guarantees" to AHCA upon filing of the annual renewal
3782applications. That course of dealing between the parties was
3791ended the yea r before when the 2000 renewal application was
3802filed, at which point AHCA began requiring of the Petitioner the
3813filing of a surety bond with its renewal application. The
3823Petitioner did so and filed its application and the bond timely
3834in the year 2000. Th us, it really had no occasion to learn that
3848there was an unwritten policy followed by AHCA which would have
3859permitted it to file an incomplete application on a timely basis
3870without being deemed untimely provided the errors or omission
3879were corrected within 90 days thereafter.
388518. When June 2001 arrived and the June 4, 2001, notice
3896letter regarding the filing date of the application was sent to
3907the Petitioner by AHCA, there still was no notice to the
3918Petitioner of this unwritten policy. Through the entir e
3927application process, and even after the filing date of August 1,
39382001, there was no communication or notice of this unwritten
3948policy to the Petitioner.
395219. While it is true that had the Petitioner started
3962early, perhaps in April or May of 2001, to pre pare its
3974application and take steps to obtain a surety bond, it might
3985have obtained a surety bond on a timely basis so that it could
3998file the entire, completed application on August 1, 2001; that
4008did not occur. Although it did not occur, the evidence show s
4020that, immediately upon receiving the June 4th notice letter from
4030the Agency, the Facility began preparing to file its application
4040and took steps to obtain the surety bond. The surety bond could
4052not be obtained on a timely basis through no reasonable fau lt of
4065the Petitioner because the surety company apparently lost the
4074relevant bond application documents and this rendered the bond
4083incapable of being delivered on or before August 1. The
4093evidence shows that when this became known, late July, it was
4104too la te to get another surety company because that would have
4116entailed even more delay.
412020. The Petitioner had made a number of communications to
4130the surety company to try to speed the bonding process, to no
4142avail. The evidence shows that the Petitioner beg an its
4152application preparation steps, including applying for the surety
4160bond on a reasonable and practicable timely basis. Credible
4169evidence shows that, had it known of that policy, it would have
4181submitted its application by August 1 in incomplete fashion so
4191as to prevent the issue of the late fee arising.
420121. Although the Petitioner could have inquired of the
4210Agency as to an acceptable course of action when it saw that it
4223could not obtain the bond by August 1, there was no
4234communication by the Agency t o the Petitioner which would
4244indicate any basis for it to make such inquiry concerning the
4255excusing of a late or incomplete filing, and certainly the
4265policy which would have allowed such was never communicated to
4275the Petitioner. The fact that the Petition er was unaware of the
4287policy is borne out by the fact the Petitioner was still
4298proceeding with all possible haste, after the deadline, to
4307complete the application by obtaining the bond and submitting
4316it. This is evidenced by the fact that, as soon as the bond
4329reached the hands of the Petitioner, it "overnight - mailed" it
4340with the then - complete application to AHCA.
434822. It certainly seems clear that, although a fair
4357interpretation of the above statute would seem to indicate that
4367the late - filing fee is a mandatory assessment that, as
4378acknowledged by the Respondent in its Proposed Recommended
4386Order, even that legislatively - imposed requirement can be waived
4396in settlement of litigation. This is because, in effect, a
4406party to litigation can waive its statutor y rights if it chooses
4418to do so.
442123. Moreover, the above, preponderantly - proven
4428circumstances show that, in effect, substantial compliance with
4436the above statutory requirement and the filing deadline has been
4446met because of the circumstance of the Petit ioner filing the
4457complete application only 13 days late and because the above
4467facts show "excusable neglect." It is appropriate that
4475excusable neglect, encompassed by the doctrine of "equitable
4483tolling," should excuse the late - filing to the extent that,
4494u nder the peculiar facts and circumstances confined to this
4504case, that the late filing fee should not be assessed. See
4515Machules v. Dept. of Administration , 523 So. 2d 1132 (Fla.
45251988); Broward County Board of County Commissioners v. State
4534Dept. of Environm ental Regulation , 495 So. 2d. 863 (Fla. 4th DCA
45461987). It is so concluded.
4551RECOMMENDATION
4552Having considered the foregoing Findings of Fact,
4559Conclusions of Law, the evidence of record, the candor and
4569demeanor of the witnesses, and the pleadings and argum ents of
4580the parties, it is, therefore,
4585RECOMMENDED that a Final Order be entered by AHCA excusing
4595the Petitioner herein of the payment of the $5,000.00 late fee
4607for the late filing of its 2001 application for its renewal of
4619licensure. It is further
4623RECOM MENDED that, as to DOAH Case No. 02 - 4827, in view of
4637the withdrawal by AHCA of its denial of the 2002 application for
4649licensure renewal and withdrawal of its intent to seek an
4659administrative fine for failure to have professional liability
4667insurance, that C ase No. 02 - 4827 be dismissed.
4677DONE AND ENTERED this 15th day of December, 2003, in
4687Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida.
4691S
4692___________________________________
4693P. MICHAEL RUFF
4696Administrative Law Judge
4699Division of Administrative Hearings
4703The DeSoto Building
47061230 Apalachee Parkway
4709Tallahassee, Florida 32399 - 3060
4714(850) 488 - 9675 SUNCOM 278 - 9675
4722Fax Filing (850) 921 - 6847
4728www.doah.state.fl.us
4729Filed with Clerk of the
4734Division of Administrative Hearing s
4739this 15th day of December, 2003.
4745COPIES FURNISHED :
4748John D. Buchanan, Jr., Esquire
4753Henry, Buchanan, Hudson,
4756Suber & Carter, P.A.
4760117 South Gadsden Street
4764Tallahassee, Florida 32301
4767Tom R. Moore, Assistant General Counsel
4773Agency for Heal th Care Administration
4779Office of the Attorney General
47842727 Mahan Drive, Building III
4789Tallahassee, Florida 32308
4792Lealand McCharen, Agency Clerk
4796Agency for Health Care Administration
48012727 Mahan Drive, Mail Station 3
4807Tallahassee, Florida 32308
4810Valda Clark Christian, General Counsel
4815Agency for Health Care Administration
4820Fort Knox Building, Suite 3431
48252727 Mahan Drive
4828Tallahassee, Florida 32308
4831NOTICE OF RIGHT TO SUBMIT EXCEPTIONS
4837All parties have the right to submit written exceptions within
484715 days fr om the date of this Recommended Order. Any exceptions
4859to this Recommended Order should be filed with the agency that
4870will issue the Final Order in this case.
- Date
- Proceedings
- PDF:
- Date: 12/15/2003
- Proceedings: Recommended Order cover letter identifying the hearing record referred to the Agency.
- PDF:
- Date: 10/10/2003
- Proceedings: Letter to Judge Ruff from T. Moore regarding scivener`s error in AHCA`s proposed recommended order (filed via facsimile).
- Date: 09/18/2003
- Proceedings: Transcript filed.
- Date: 08/13/2003
- Proceedings: CASE STATUS: Hearing Held.
- PDF:
- Date: 08/05/2003
- Proceedings: Petitioner`s Notice of Filing Deposition of Molly McKinstry filed.
- PDF:
- Date: 06/23/2003
- Proceedings: The Petitioner`s Notice of Taking Continued Deposition and for Production of Documents, M. McKinstry (filed via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 06/11/2003
- Proceedings: Petitioner`s Notice of Filing Deposition of Richard Corbett, Ph.D (filed via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 06/10/2003
- Proceedings: Order Granting Continuance and Re-scheduling Hearing (hearing set for August 13, 2003; 9:30 a.m.; Tallahassee, FL).
- PDF:
- Date: 06/03/2003
- Proceedings: The Petitioner`s Notice of Taking Deposition, R. Corbett, Ph.D (filed via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 05/14/2003
- Proceedings: AHCA`s Response to Baker County`s Request for Admissions (filed via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 05/01/2003
- Proceedings: Petitioner`s Notice of Cancellation of Deposition, B. Barlow (filed via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 05/01/2003
- Proceedings: The Petitioner`s Amended Notice of Taking Deposition, B. Barlow (filed via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 04/11/2003
- Proceedings: W. Frank Wells Nursing Home`s Request for Admissions from AHCA (filed via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 04/09/2003
- Proceedings: Notice of Hearing issued (hearing set for June 11 and 12, 2003; 10:30 a.m.; Macclenny, FL).
- PDF:
- Date: 04/07/2003
- Proceedings: The Petitioner`s Notice of Taking Deposition, R. Heath (filed via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 04/04/2003
- Proceedings: The Petitioner`s Notice of Taking Deposition and for Production of Documents, M. Mckinstry (filed via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 04/03/2003
- Proceedings: Memorandum to Judge Ruff from T. Aulet enclosing mutual available dates for hearing (filed via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 03/19/2003
- Proceedings: W. Frank Wells Nursing Home`s Response to AHCA`s Request for Admissions (filed via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 03/07/2003
- Proceedings: AHCA`s Response to Requests for Production in Late Filing Fee Case (02-4827) (filed via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 02/17/2003
- Proceedings: Corrected Notice of Substitution of Counsel and Request for Service (filed by T. Moore via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 02/17/2003
- Proceedings: Joint Response to Order and Motion for Extension of Time to Respond to Discovery Request (filed via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 02/13/2003
- Proceedings: Notice of Substitution of Counsel and Request for Service (filed by T. Moore via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 02/11/2003
- Proceedings: Order issued (hearing presently set in case no. 02-4827 is hereby cancelled and the parties are directed to advise the undersigned within seven (7) days of the date of this order of mutuall agreeable dates for hearing) )
- PDF:
- Date: 02/07/2003
- Proceedings: Order of Consolidation issued. (consolidated cases are: 02-004752, 02-004827)
- PDF:
- Date: 02/04/2003
- Proceedings: First Amended Petition for Formal Proceedings Under Section 120.57, Florida Statutes (filed by Petitioner via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 02/04/2003
- Proceedings: Motion for Leave to Amend Petition (filed by Petitioner via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 02/04/2003
- Proceedings: Motion for Consolidation (cases requested to be consolidated 02-4752, 024827) (filed by Petitioner via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 02/03/2003
- Proceedings: Petitioner, W. Frank Wells Nursing Home`s Motion to Compel (filed via facsimile)
- PDF:
- Date: 12/17/2002
- Proceedings: Petitioner`s First Request for Production of Documents to Respondent, Agency for Health Care Administration (filed via facsimile).
- PDF:
- Date: 12/17/2002
- Proceedings: Notice of Serving Petitioner`s First Set of Interrogatories to Respondent, Agency for Health Care Administration (filed via facsimile).
Case Information
- Judge:
- P. MICHAEL RUFF
- Date Filed:
- 12/06/2002
- Date Assignment:
- 12/09/2002
- Last Docket Entry:
- 04/14/2004
- Location:
- Tallahassee, Florida
- District:
- Northern
- Agency:
- ADOPTED IN TOTO
Counsels
-
John D. Buchanan, Jr., Esquire
Address of Record -
Tom R Moore, Esquire
Address of Record -
John D Buchanan, Jr., Esquire
Address of Record