CS/HB 21 - Hospital Licensure Summary

• Eliminates certificate of need (CON) requirements for general hospitals, allowing the Agency for Health Care Administration to issue licenses without CON approval under certain circumstances.

• Establishes new licensure standards for diagnostic cardiac catheterization services, adult cardiovascular services, and burn units, including specific volume requirements and staffing qualifications.

• Creates a technical advisory panel with representatives from 10 specified pediatric hospitals to develop procedures and standards for measuring outcomes of pediatric cardiac catheterization and cardiovascular surgery programs.

• Removes notification requirements for health care facilities to report termination of services or addition/delicensure of beds to the agency, and repeals rural hospital replacement facility provisions.

• Directs the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to review tertiary health services licensure requirements and make recommendations to the Legislature by November 1, 2019, with most provisions effective July 1, 2019.