(210 ILCS 47/2-202)

Sec. 2-202. Contract required.

(a) Before a person is admitted to a facility, or at the expiration of the period of previous contract, or when the source of payment for the resident's care changes from private to public funds or from public to private funds, a written contract shall be executed between a licensee and the following in order of priority:

(1) the person, or if the person is a minor, his parent or guardian; or

(2) the person's guardian, if any, or agent, if any, as defined in Section 2-3 of the Illinois Power of Attorney Act; or

(3) a member of the person's immediate family.

An adult person shall be presumed to have the capacity to contract for admission to a long term care facility unless he or she has been adjudicated a "person with a disability" within the meaning of Section 11a-2 of the Probate Act of 1975, or unless a petition for such an adjudication is pending in a circuit court of Illinois.

If there is no guardian, agent or member of the person's immediate family available, able or willing to execute the contract required by this Section and a physician determines that a person is so disabled as to be unable to consent to placement in a facility, or if a person has already been found to be a "person with a disability", but no order has been entered allowing residential placement of the person, that person may be admitted to a facility before the execution of a contract required by this Section; provided that a petition for guardianship or for modification of guardianship is filed within 15 days of the person's admission to a facility, and provided further that such a contract is executed within 10 days of the disposition of the petition.

No adult shall be admitted to a facility if he or she objects, orally or in writing, to such admission, except as otherwise provided in Chapters III and IV of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code or Section 11a-14.1 of the Probate Act of 1975.

Before a licensee enters a contract under this Section, it shall provide the prospective resident and his or her guardian, if any, with written notice of the licensee's policy regarding discharge of a resident whose private funds for payment of care are exhausted.

(b) A resident shall not be discharged or transferred at the expiration of the term of a contract, except as provided in Sections 3-401 through 3-423.

(c) At the time of the resident's admission to the facility, a copy of the contract shall be given to the resident, his or her guardian, if any, and any other person who executed the contract.

(d) A copy of the contract for a resident who is supported by nonpublic funds other than the resident's own funds shall be made available to the person providing the funds for the resident's support.

(e) The original or a copy of the contract shall be maintained in the facility and be made available upon request to representatives of the Department and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

(f) The contract shall be written in clear and unambiguous language and shall be printed in not less than 12-point type. The general form of the contract shall be prescribed by the Department.

(g) The contract shall specify:

(1) the term of the contract;

(2) the services to be provided under the contract and the charges for the services;

(3) the services that may be provided to supplement the contract and the charges for the services;

(4) the sources liable for payments due under the contract;

(5) the amount of deposit paid; and

(6) the rights, duties and obligations of the resident, except that the specification of a resident's rights may be furnished on a separate document which complies with the requirements of Section 2-211.

(h) The contract shall designate the name of the resident's representative, if any. The resident shall provide the facility with a copy of the written agreement between the resident and the resident's representative which authorizes the resident's representative to inspect and copy the resident's records and authorizes the resident's representative to execute the contract on behalf of the resident required by this Section.

(i) The contract shall provide that if the resident is compelled by a change in physical or mental health to leave the facility, the contract and all obligations under it shall terminate on 7 days' notice. No prior notice of termination of the contract shall be required, however, in the case of a resident's death. The contract shall also provide that in all other situations, a resident may terminate the contract and all obligations under it with 30 days' notice. All charges shall be prorated as of the date on which the contract terminates, and, if any payments have been made in advance, the excess shall be refunded to the resident. This provision shall not apply to life care contracts through which a facility agrees to provide maintenance and care for a resident throughout the remainder of his life nor to continuing care contracts through which a facility agrees to supplement all available forms of financial support in providing maintenance and care for a resident throughout the remainder of his or her life.

(j) In addition to all other contract specifications contained in this Section admission contracts shall also specify:

(1) whether the facility accepts Medicaid clients;

(2) whether the facility requires a deposit of the resident or his or her family prior to the establishment of Medicaid eligibility;

(3) in the event that a deposit is required, a clear and concise statement of the procedure to be followed for the return of such deposit to the resident or the appropriate family member or guardian of the person;

(4) that all deposits made to a facility by a resident, or on behalf of a resident, shall be returned by the facility within 30 days of the establishment of Medicaid eligibility, unless such deposits must be drawn upon or encumbered in accordance with Medicaid eligibility requirements established by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

(k) It shall be a business offense for a facility to knowingly and intentionally both retain a resident's deposit and accept Medicaid payments on behalf of that resident.

(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)