Bill > H618

This bill aims to strengthen health care provider market impact reviews. It proposes several key provisions: 1. Requiring providers or provider organizations to notify the Health Policy Commission (the Commission) at least 60 days before making any material changes to their operations or governance structure, such as mergers, acquisitions, or affiliations. 2. Authorizing the Commission to conduct a preliminary review of the proposed changes and, if determined to have a significant impact on health care costs or the competitive market, conduct a more comprehensive cost and market impact review. 3. Empowering the Commission to deny a provider's request for a material change if it finds the change would result in unfair competition, deceptive practices, increased health care costs exceeding the cost growth benchmark, or reduced competition in violation of antitrust laws. 4. Allowing the provider organization to request an adjudicatory hearing if the Commission denies their request, and the ability to appeal the Commission's final decision to the Supreme Judicial Court. 5. Authorizing the Attorney General to investigate and take action against providers or provider organizations found to have engaged in unfair methods of competition or anti-competitive behavior. Overall, the bill aims to enhance the state's oversight and regulation of healthcare provider consolidation and market changes to protect consumers from potential adverse impacts on costs and competition.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/H618