Bill > S598

This bill aims to strengthen health planning and oversight in the state, particularly concerning hospital closures and service discontinuations. It establishes a Health Planning Council within the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, responsible for creating and updating a state health plan that identifies healthcare needs, resources, and priorities across fifteen designated health planning regions. This council will include various state officials and an advisory committee with diverse healthcare perspectives, and will ensure public access to the plan and opportunities for public input. The bill also enhances the process for hospitals proposing to close or discontinue essential health services, requiring longer notice periods, public and municipal comment periods, and a determination by the Department of Public Health on whether such actions would significantly reduce access to necessary services, with potential plans to ensure continued access. Furthermore, the bill empowers the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) to identify financially distressed hospitals at risk of closure, imposes reporting requirements on healthcare payers and providers, and allows for administrative sanctions and court enforcement for non-compliance. Finally, it introduces penalties for hospitals that close or discontinue essential services without proper approval, including fines and potential imprisonment, and requires new hospitals to submit plans for providing community benefits, including essential health services, as a condition of licensure.