Bill > HB233

This bill establishes conditions for transferring patients from rural hospitals to major hospitals when a doctor deems it medically necessary. A "rural hospital" is defined as a licensed Mississippi hospital with 50 or fewer general acute beds, while a "major hospital" has more than 50 such beds. The bill mandates that a patient from a rural hospital must be admitted to a major hospital's emergency room if a doctor at the rural hospital determines the transfer is medically necessary. To clarify what constitutes "medically necessary," the State Department of Health will create rules and regulations, considering factors such as potential adverse health reactions at rural hospitals, the better treatment of chronic or emergency conditions at major hospitals, and efficient transfer procedures that prioritize patient outcomes. This act will become effective on July 1, 2026.

Health and Social Services

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB0233.xml