(a) Prior to or at the time of admission, the facility shall make reasonable efforts to communicate the content of the contract to, and obtain on the contract the signature of, the person who is to be admitted to the facility. Unless the prospective resident has been declared legally incompetent or is unable to understand and sign the contract because of his or her medical condition, he or she shall sign or cosign the admission agreement. In the event the patient is unable to sign the contract, the reason shall be documented in the resident’s medical record by the admitting physician. This provision does not preclude the facility from obtaining the signature of an agent, responsible party, or a legal representative, if applicable.
(b) The contract of admission for facilities certified to be reimbursed by Medi-Cal shall set forth, in bold capital letters of not less than 10-point type, the prohibition in Section 14110.8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code that no facility may require or solicit as a condition of admission that a Medi-Cal beneficiary have a responsible party sign or cosign the contract of admission. If the Medi-Cal beneficiary has an agent, then the signature of the agent may be required on the contract of admission.