Amendment ID: S2871-64

Amendment 64

Critical Access Hospital Modernization Exemption

Mr. Mark moves that the proposed new text be amended by inserting at the end thereof the following section:-

SECTION XXX. Section 25C1/2 of said chapter 111, is hereby amended by striking out, in the title, the words “of projects related to inpatient services” and inserting in place thereof the words “of certain projects”; and

By inserting after subsection (c )the following subsection (d):-

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of section twenty-five C, no notice of determination of need shall be required of a federally designated critical access hospital affiliated with a federally designated sole community hospital for the following categories of projects:

(i) A replacement project of all or part of a Health Care Facility or service if the project will result in the replacement of facilities that are at least thirty (30) years old at the time construction commences. For the purposes of this subsection, the following definitions shall apply:

a. Replacement. Construction to sustain, restore or modernize a Health Care Facility or service for its designated purpose at least to its original functionality, without addition, or expansion.

b. Modernize. Alteration or replacement of all or part of a Health Care Facility or service to accommodate new or increased functionality, or beyond that necessary to Sustain or Restore said facility or service, without Addition or Expansion, provided that the following shall not be considered an addition or expansion:

i. creation of additional emergency department bays or examination rooms; and

ii. creation of multipurpose rooms for surgeries and endoscopies in place of separate operating and procedure rooms.

(ii) The acquisition of such number of imaging units so as to enable the hospital to have Baseline Imaging Capability.  For the purposes of this provision, Baseline Imaging Capability is defined as one magnetic resonance imaging unit.

All projects exempt under subsection (d) shall obtain any required plan approvals from the department.