Bill > HB944

This bill modifies Maryland's healthcare regulations by expanding the scope of review for significant changes in healthcare entities. It repeals an existing exemption from the "certificate of need" (CON) requirement for certain mergers, meaning more healthcare facility mergers will now require this approval from the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC). Additionally, the bill introduces a new process for "material change transactions," which are defined as significant events like mergers, acquisitions, or changes in control involving healthcare entities with at least $10 million in assets or revenues. These transactions will now require healthcare entities to provide advance notice to the MHCC and the public, and the MHCC will conduct a "public interest review" to assess the transaction's impact on the cost, quality, access, and equity of healthcare services, with specific criteria to determine if such a review is necessary, especially for entities with significant market power. The bill also outlines penalties for violations and mandates the MHCC to establish regulations for this new review process, including criteria for expedited reviews in emergencies and defining what constitutes the public interest in these transactions.