SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2573        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

James B. Eldridge

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act putting patients over profits in hospital licensure.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2573        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act putting patients over profits in hospital licensure.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 51G of chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

(9) No original license shall be granted, or renewed, to establish or maintain an acute-care hospital, as defined in section 25B, if the entity operating the acute-care hospital is organized as a for-profit entity; provided, however, that any acute-care hospital that, as of April 1, 2024, is operating as a for-profit entity shall be exempt from the requirements of this subsection. An exempt acute-care hospital under this subsection shall maintain its exempt status after a transfer to any transferee and subsequent transferees. A transferee or subsequent transferee of an acute-care hospital that is exempt from the requirements of this subparagraph shall be issued a license if the transferee otherwise satisfies all other requirements for licensure under this chapter.