Bill > S1526

This bill proposes to modify hospital licensing requirements in Massachusetts by prohibiting the issuance of new or renewed licenses to for-profit acute-care hospitals, while grandfathering in existing for-profit hospitals that are operating as of April 1, 2024. Specifically, the legislation would prevent any new acute-care hospital from obtaining a license if it is organized as a for-profit entity, but hospitals already operating for-profit as of the specified date would be exempt from this restriction. Importantly, these exempt hospitals would maintain their exempt status even if they are transferred to new owners, meaning that a for-profit hospital operating before April 1, 2024, can continue to be licensed and transferred between for-profit entities. The bill aims to shift hospital ownership towards non-profit models, potentially with the goal of prioritizing patient care over financial profits, though the exact rationale is not explicitly stated in the text. This change would be implemented by adding a new paragraph to Section 51G of Chapter 111 of the Massachusetts General Laws, which governs hospital licensing.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1526