Senate Moves Closer to House on Certificate of Need Repeal
April 18th, 2019 by Jake Stofan
The Senate made a major change to its legislation that would do away with Certificates of Need in the state before passing it through its final committee stop.
Under current law hospitals that want to set up in a community have to prove there is a need not being met by existing providers.
The Senate’s proposal initially would have required new hospitals to provide charity care and have an emergency room if they had over 100 beds.
In a surprise strike all amendment the requirements were removed, but a two year grace period before certificates of need are abolished for general hospitals was added.
Senate Sponsor Gayle Harrell says it will give lawmakers time to revisit the issues.
“To allow time for transition, to allow time for market forces to work and also allow us as legislators time to look at licensure,” said Harrell.
The Senate’s bill also would delay the removal of the certificate of need requirement for specialty hospitals for five years.
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