Bill > A4845

Introduced Session

This bill removes the requirements under current law for surgical practices to become licensed by the Department of Health (department) as ambulatory care facilities licensed to provide surgical and related services. Current law defines a "surgical practice" to mean a structure or suite of rooms that has the following characteristics: has no more than one room dedicated for use as an operating room which is specifically equipped to perform surgery, and is designed and constructed to accommodate invasive diagnostic and surgical procedures; has one or more post-anesthesia care units or a dedicated recovery area where the patient may be closely monitored and observed until discharged; and is established by a physician, physician professional association surgical practice, or other professional practice form specified by the State Board of Medical Examiners pursuant to regulation solely for the physician's, association's, or other professional entity's private medical practice. Pursuant to the enactment of P.L.2017, c.283, all surgical practices were required to become licensed as ambulatory care facilities licensed to provide surgical and related services. This bill removes those requirements and instead only requires surgical practices to register with the department, which registration is contingent on the surgical practice meeting certain certification or accreditation standards. The bill provides that any surgical practice licensed as an ambulatory care facility to provide surgical and related services will still be exempted from the ambulatory care facility assessment, as provided under current law. The bill removes the moratorium provided under current law that provides that the department will not issue a new registration to any surgical practice.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Dawn Fantasia (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee (on 09/23/2024)

Official Document