Missouri § 198.096 - Bond required for facility holding resident's property in trust — exception, cash deposit held in insured escrow.

§ 198.096. Bond required for facility holding resident's property in trust — exception, cash deposit held in insured escrow.

1.  The operator of any facility who holds in trust personal funds of residents as provided in section 198.090 shall obtain and file with the department a bond in a form approved by the department in an amount equal to one and one-half times the average monthly balance or average total of the monthly balances, rounded to the nearest one thousand dollars, in the residents' personal funds account or accounts kept pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of section 198.090 for the preceding twelve months.  In the case of a new facility or of an operator not previously holding in trust the personal funds of residents, the department shall determine the amount of bond to be required, taking into consideration the size and type of facility, the number of residents, and the experience of comparable facilities.

2.  The required bond shall be conditioned to secure to every resident or former resident, or the estate of a former resident, the return of any moneys held in trust of which the resident has been wrongfully deprived by acts of the operator or any affiliates or employees of the operator.  The liability of the surety to any and all persons shall not exceed the stated amount of the bond regardless of the period of time the bond has been in effect.

3.  Whenever the director determines that the amount of any bond which is filed pursuant to this subsection is insufficient to adequately protect the money of residents which is being handled, or whenever the amount of any such bond is impaired by any recovery against the bond, the director may require the operator to file an additional bond in such amount as necessary to adequately protect the money of residents being handled.

4.  In the event that any such bond includes a provision allowing the surety to cancel after notice, the bond shall provide for a minimum of sixty days' notice to the department.

5.  The operator may, in lieu of a bond, place a cash deposit equal to the amount of the bond required in this section with an insured lending institution pursuant to a noncancelable escrow agreement with the lending institution if the written agreement is submitted to and approved by the department.  No escrow agreement shall be approved without verification of cash deposit.

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(L. 1979 S.B. 328, et al. § 32, A.L. 1988 S.B. 602, A.L. 2009 H.B. 395)

---- end of effective  28 Aug 2009 ----

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