CS/CS/CS/HB 711 – Sale or Lease of County, District, or Municipal Hospitals

• Governing boards of county, district, or municipal hospitals must evaluate possible benefits of selling or leasing facilities to for-profit or not-for-profit entities and conduct public hearings, obtain independent valuations, and compare operating costs with similar hospitals by December 31, 2012.

• Any sale or lease proposal requires detailed written findings addressing fair market value, tax impact, continued health care services (especially for indigent patients), conflicts of interest, and compliance with subsections (8) and (9), accompanied by all supporting documents.

• Governing boards must publish notice in local newspapers and the Florida Administrative Weekly at least 120 days before the anticipated closing date, allow 20 days for public written comments, and file a petition with the Secretary of Health Care Administration for approval within 30 days of publication.

• Secretary of Health Care Administration must issue a final order within 30 days approving or denying the transaction based solely on whether the governing board followed required procedures; interested parties may seek judicial review.

• Net proceeds from sales or leases must be split 50-50 between a health care economic development trust fund (for job creation and health care expansion) and funding for indigent care delivery within the district.