(a) HHSC reviews an application for a license within 30 days after the date HHSC Licensing and Credentialing Section, Long-term Care Regulation, receives the application and notifies the applicant if additional information is needed to complete the application.
(b) HHSC denies an application that remains incomplete 120 days after the date that HHSC Licensing and Credentialing Section, Long-term Care Regulation receives the application.
(c) HHSC issues a license within 30 days after HHSC determines that the applicant and the facility have met all licensure requirements referenced in §553.23 of this subchapter (relating to Initial License Application Procedures and Requirements) or §553.33 of this subchapter (relating to Renewal Procedures and Qualifications), as applicable.
(d) If HHSC does not process an application in the time period stated, the applicant has a right to make a request to the program director for reimbursement of the license fees paid with the application.
  (1) If the program director does not agree that the established time period has been violated or finds that good cause existed for exceeding the established time period, the program director denies the request.
  (2) Good cause for exceeding the established time period exists if:
    (A) the number of applications to be processed exceeds by 15 percent or more the number processed in the same calendar quarter of the preceding year;
    (B) HHSC must rely on another public or private entity to process all or a part of the application received by HHSC, and the delay is caused by that entity; or
    (C) other conditions existed giving good cause for exceeding the established time period.
  (3) If the request for reimbursement is denied, the applicant may appeal to the HHSC Executive Commissioner for resolution of the dispute. The applicant must send a written statement to the HHSC Executive Commissioner describing the request for reimbursement and the reason for the request. The HHSC Executive Commissioner will make a timely decision concerning the appeal and notify the applicant in writing of the decision.

Source Note: The provisions of this §553.21 adopted to be effective August 31, 2021, 46 TexReg 5017