Massachusetts House Speaker Ron Mariano is bringing a bill to the floor later this month that would limit the growth of hospital chains and provider networks opening new ASCs in the state, according to a Nov. 4 report by GBH News.
The bill is intended to protect community hospitals, Mariano said, according to the report.
"I don't want to see any of these [community hospitals] closed and I want to protect their positions from being infringed upon by outside hospitals moving in with these ambulatory surgery centers," he said.
Massachusetts ranks 46th out of 50 in per-capita ASCs with 0.77 per 100,000 residents, despite the fact its certificate of need laws don't currently regulate ASCs.
Mariano's bill would require the state's Department of Public Health to weigh the cost and market impact of any medical provider expansion that requires new state licensing before determining if there is a need, according to the report.