NC S698

Department of Health and Human Services and Attorney General must modify Mission Health Systems' Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA) to incorporate recommendations from an economic analysis report.

Mission Health Systems must immediately halt all management agreements, acquisitions, affiliations, and joint ventures (including physician practice acquisitions) until December 31, 2011, or until a Price Cap is implemented, whichever is later.

After the halt period ends, Mission Health Systems must provide advance written notice to the Department and Attorney General of any proposed new acquisitions, affiliations, or joint ventures, with public notice and 30-day comment period required.

A 10% physician employment cap applies to each of 17 counties in Western North Carolina and to nine medical specialties (family practice/internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, oncology, radiation oncology, cardiology, otolaryngology, general surgery, and orthopedics).

Existing physician employment levels exceeding the cap as of the bill's effective date are grandfathered and do not require reduction to comply with the new cap.