HB 12-1294 Summary

• Modifies health facility regulation by the Department of Public Health and Environment to eliminate duplication and reduce regulatory burden on providers while maintaining patient safety standards.

• Establishes tiered inspection system for facilities licensed three or more years with no enforcement activity, no deficient practices, and no substantiated complaints; allows extended survey cycles and reduces inspection frequency, scope, and data requirements.

• Implements performance incentive system providing license renewal fee reductions for facilities demonstrating no significant deficiencies, full cooperation with inspections, and no documented harm to consumers.

• Expands deemed status for accredited health facilities (beyond just ambulatory surgical centers) to satisfy license renewal requirements; allows validation surveys of up to 10 percent of accredited facilities as substitute for full renewal surveys.

• Creates Health Care Facility Stakeholder Forum requiring at least four annual meetings with facility representatives, consumers, advocates, and ombudsmen to discuss licensing rules and regulatory matters; appropriates $183,730 and 2.4 FTE for implementation.