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State Licensing Survey Waiver Process

State Licensing Survey Waiver Process

Non-Long Term Care State Licensing Survey Waiver Overview and Instructions

OVERVIEW

MCL 333.20155 requires that the department, through the State Licensing Section, make at least one (1) visit to each licensed provider every three (3) years for survey and evaluation purposes of licensure. 

Additionally, under MCL 333.20155, the department may waive this required visit if the licensed provider requests a waiver and submits evidence that the facility is fully accredited from an acceptable accrediting body.  In lieu of performing an unannounced on-site state licensing survey, the department will perform a desk review of documentation submitted through the waiver request.  

 

Eligible Licensed Providers

Below are the various links, by healthcare facility type, for licensees that are currently eligible to apply for a survey waiver.  These are the licensees that are currently scheduled to be surveyed in the cycle year 2024.  Current waiver requests may only be submitted March 22, 2024 through April 12, 2024.  You cannot request or submit a request for a waiver at any other time. 

State Licensing Section 2024 Hospice Survey Schedule

State Licensing Section 2024 FSOF Survey Schedule

State Licensing Section 2024 Hospital Survey Schedule

If your facility is not on this list, please check back on October 1, 2024, when the new survey schedule and corresponding eligible waiver list will be posted for those facilities that may be scheduled to be surveyed in 2025.

Instructions & Process to Request Waiver

Be sure to read the instructions and information in its entirety:
 
Acceptance of a survey waiver request and review remains at the discretion of the department and may be denied for reasons including, but not limited to:
  • Submission of an accreditation report that does not meet the timeframe specified in code and/or demonstrates that the licensed provider is not in "good standing" with the accrediting organization. 
  • There is indication of substantial non-compliance with licensure standards or deficiencies that represent a threat to public safety or patient care.  The department may review and consider recent history of complaints, status of current license (e.g., temporary vs. permanent), as well as other inspection reports available to the department.  
  • Failure to submit all of the required information and documentation.
  • Submission of an accreditation report or executive summary from an organization that is not part of the department approved accrediting organizations.  Accreditation certificates are not acceptable.
 
You will be required to provide the following information on the form below (see next section) to submit a waiver request:  
  • Healthcare facility/agency type 
  • State license number - this number is 10 digits long.  If you don't know your state license number, you may locate it on the Health Facility License Search.
  • Healthcare facility/agency name
  • Address of the facility/agency
  • Accrediting organization
  • Copy of the most recent accreditation report (by a department approved accrediting organization) to be emailed to NLTCSLS after the form below has been submitted.  This email must contain the state license number (10 digits), facility name, and accrediting executive summary or full accreditation report.  Accreditation certificates are not acceptable and must be less than 3 years old.  Emails that do not contain all of these requirements will not be reviewed and will be an automatic denial for waiver request.
  • Signature of attestation
  • Contact information (name, telephone number and email) of the individual completing the waiver request.
 
*  Please note, you may only submit one waiver request per form.  If you are submitting a waiver request for more than one facility or agency, you must complete a new form and submission for each separate licensed facility or agency.
 
A decision letter for your waiver request will be sent directly by May 31, 2024, to the email provided on the waiver form.  Please note a hardcopy of the decision letter will not be provided.  However, you may print the emailed decision letter if desired.
 
Pursuant to MCL 333.20155(10), the denial of a waiver request is not subject to appeal.  If a waiver is denied or not granted, a traditional onsite survey may be performed by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Community and Health Systems (BCHS), Non-Long-Term Care State Licensing Section (NLTCSLS).

Waiver Request Form

Waiver request may only be submitted March 22, 2024 through April 12, 2024.

After you have read all of the above information and instructions, please click on the link below or scan the QR code to start the waiver request form:

Waiver Request Form

 

Acceptable Accrediting Organizations

Pursuant to MCL 333.20155(8)(a), the following is a list of approved accrediting organizations whose documentation may be submitted for waiver purposes.
 
  • Freestanding Surgical Outpatient Facilities (FSOF/ASC)
    • The Joint Commission
    • Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC)
    • American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF)
  • Hospice Agencies & Residences
    • The Joint Commission
    • Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP)
    • Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC)
  • Hospitals
    • The Joint Commission
    • American Osteopathic Organization
    • Det Norske Veritas
  • Psychiatric Hospitals & Units
    • The Joint Commission
    • American Osteopathic Organization
    • Det Norske Veritas
  • Substance Use Disorder Programs (SUD)
    • To Be Determined.

General Guidance for Waiver Approval

Acceptance of a survey waiver request and review remains at the discretion of the department and may be denied for reasons including, but not limited to:

  • Submission of an accreditation report that does not meet the timeframe specified in code and/or demonstrates the licensed provider is not in "good standing" with the accrediting organization. 
  • There is indication of substantial non-compliance with licensure standards or deficiencies that represent a threat to public safety or patient care.  The department may review and consider recent history of complaints, status of current license (e.g., temporary vs. permanent), as well as other inspection reports available to the department for consideration. 

Pursuant to MCL 333.20155(10), the denial of a waiver request is not subject to appeal. 

 

Contact Information

Michigan Department of Licensing & Regulatory Affairs
Bureau of Community and Health Systems
611 W. Ottawa Street
PO Box 30664
Lansing, MI 48909

Non-Long-Term Care State Licensing Section
Phone: 517-241-1970
Email: LARA-BCHS-NLTCSLS@michigan.gov