SB953: Certificate of public need; expedited review process for certain projects, report.

Legislative Summary

Certificate of public need; expedited review process; work group. Requires the Department of Health to establish an expedited review process for certain projects involving addition of imaging equipment, addition of a new ambulatory or outpatient surgery center, addition of operating rooms at an existing ambulatory or outpatient surgery center, and addition of psychiatric beds or conversion of existing beds at a medical care facility to psychiatric beds and requires the Board of Health to include in regulations governing the certificate of public need program a provision for the development of review criteria and standards for specific medical care facilities and health care services for each health planning region that take into account the unique needs and characteristics of such region. The bill also amends the definition of "charity care," redefines "clinical health service" as "health care service," and adds a definition of "indigent" for purposes of the certificate of public need program. The bill directs the Department of Health to convene a work group of stakeholders to make recommendations for funding options to alleviate the risk of financial insolvency for public and private hospitals with fewer than 100 licensed beds in the event of a future public health emergency. The bill requires the work group to report its recommendations to the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions by November 1, 2023.