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Bill > A6198
NJ A6198
NJ A6198Requires hospitals to maintain minimum services when relocating from underserved community.
summary
Introduced
12/08/2025
12/08/2025
In Committee
12/08/2025
12/08/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
01/12/2026
01/12/2026
Introduced Session
2024-2025 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill requires that a general acute care hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.), for which the Department of Health (the department) has approved a certificate of need application to relocate from its location in an underserved community, is required to maintain at its original location the minimum professional departments, inpatient beds, services, facilities, and functions that a hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) is required to provide pursuant to N.J.A.C.8:33-3.1. The bill further provides that the departments, inpatient beds, services, facilities and functions to be maintained at the hospital's original location in an underserved community will be provided under the same license as the relocated hospital. The provisions of the bill will take effect immediately, and will apply retroactively to any hospital relocations, approved by the department in the 12 months prior to the effective date, that also meet the bill's requirements.
AI Summary
This bill requires hospitals seeking to relocate from an underserved community to maintain the same level of medical services and facilities at their original location, even after moving. Specifically, the bill mandates that any general acute care hospital that receives approval from the Department of Health to relocate must continue to provide the minimum professional departments, inpatient beds, services, facilities, and functions at its original site, using the same hospital license. The bill defines an "underserved community" as a municipality with over 30,000 residents that meets specific medical underservice criteria, such as being designated as a Medically Underserved Area by federal health authorities and having a low Index of Medical Underservice Score. The Commissioner of Health is required to create implementing regulations, and the bill's provisions will take effect immediately, applying retroactively to hospital relocations approved in the previous 12 months that meet the specified conditions. The goal is to ensure that residents in medically underserved areas continue to have access to essential healthcare services even when a hospital decides to relocate.
Committee Categories
Health and Social Services
Sponsors (2)
Last Action
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee (on 12/08/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/A6198 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/A6500/6198_I1.HTM |
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