A bill just introduced in the Georgia General Assembly seeks to end regulation guiding the building of hospitals, according to My AJC.
Here are five things to know:
1. Georgia's certificate of need laws play a crucial role in healthcare facility construction and services across the state.
2. After eliminating CON, the legislation would set up a system under which healthcare facilities could apply for a permit if they pledge to provide some care for Georgia's poor.
3. The proposal would allow Cancer Treatment Centers of America, which has its hospital for southeastern United States in Newnan, Ga., to escape current state regulatory restrictions. The bill would also allow Georgia physicians to run multispecialty surgery centers, which they are currently banned from doing.
4. House Bill 1055 would establish some requirements for hospitals to serve Medicaid, Medicare, State Health Benefit Plan patients and the uninsured.
5. Sponsors of HB 1055 are:
- Wendell Willard (R-Sandy Springs), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee
- Richard Smith (R-Columbus), chairman of the House Insurance Committee
- Carolyn Hugley (D-Columbus), House minority whip
- Matthew Hatchett (R-Dublin), chairman of the House Republican Caucus