CS/CS/HB 25 Summary

• Creates new "recovery care center" facility type for postsurgical and postdiagnostic care with 72-hour maximum patient stay, excluding intensive, coronary, or critical care services.

• Authorizes ambulatory surgical centers to provide advanced birth services (vaginal deliveries, planned low-risk cesarean deliveries, and trial of labor after cesarean) if they meet 23 specified requirements including 24/7 operation, board-certified obstetrician on-site, surgical suite, blood bank agreement, and clinical laboratory.

• Requires Agency for Health Care Administration to adopt separate minimum care standards for recovery care centers, pediatric patient care in ambulatory surgical centers, and food handling standards for certain ambulatory surgical centers.

• Establishes licensing and regulatory requirements for recovery care centers including emergency care protocols, transfer agreements with hospitals, and admission criteria limiting patients to those medically stable and not requiring acute hospitalization.

• Takes effect July 1, 2019.