CT HB05451

Requires purchasers in health care facility transfers to establish and fund escrow accounts ($150,000 for general applications, $200,000 for hospital ownership transfers) to pay for independent consultant and expert review services, with escrow agents paying bills directly to service providers within 30 days.

Modifies imaging equipment certificate of need exemptions by removing the blanket replacement exemption and requiring notification to the Office of Health Care Access when existing equipment is replaced with other types of imaging equipment.

Changes hospital and health system reporting deadlines for group practice affiliations and inter-hospital affiliations from December 31, 2014/2015 to January 15, 2017, and requires annual thereafter reporting to the Attorney General and Commissioner of Public Health.

Extends grace periods for late assessment payments from 5 days to 7 days before triggering 2% penalty fees for hospitals and health care facilities.

Consolidates the biennial health care facility utilization study into the state-wide health care facilities and services plan, extends the update cycle from biennial to every two years, and changes inventory completion requirement from biennial to every three years.

Modifies hospital-based facility patient notices to use general language rather than patient-specific information and requires patients to contact insurers for facility fee information.

Changes civil penalty language from "willfully" to "negligently" fails to seek certificate of need approval for required health care activities.