A South Carolina House committee recommended the state revise its certificate of need laws instead of eliminating them entirely, local NBC affiliate KVPI reported May 3.
In January, the state's Senate voted to eliminate the law in a 35-6 vote. This week, Gov. Henry McMaster asked the House of Representatives to fully repeal the laws.
The House Certificate of Need Ad Hoc Committee instead voted to amend its bill, and it is expected to come before the full House Ways and Means Committee May 5.
Under the new amendment, certificate of need requirements would be removed for hospitals with up to 50 beds in counties that don't have a hospital, as well as for ASCs that are at least 51 percent South Carolina-owned and operated.
The amendment also added a requirement for ASCs to provide care to Medicaid and Medicare patients and charity care. Additionally, a physician group would only be allowed to own up to two ASCs.