House Bill 419 Summary

• Brings forward Mississippi Code Sections 41-7-171 through 41-7-209 and related sections (the "Mississippi Health Care Certificate of Need Law of 1979") to maintain current law without substantive changes.

• Establishes the State Department of Health as the sole state agency administering health care certificate of need reviews and state health planning, with authority to assess application fees of 0.5% of proposed capital expenditure (minimum $500, maximum $25,000).

• Requires certificates of need for major health care projects including new facilities, bed additions/conversions, major medical equipment purchases exceeding $1.5 million, and new health services (open-heart surgery, cardiac catheterization, psychiatric services, radiation therapy, etc.).

• Provides specific exemptions and authorizations for nursing facilities in designated counties, psychiatric residential treatment facilities, critical access hospitals, and facilities damaged by natural disasters occurring after April 15, 2014.

• Establishes appeal procedures to chancery court with 20-30 day filing deadlines and requires bond for appellants; limits state Department of Health review timeline to 90 days unless a hearing is held.