Phil Ammann
A Senate committee rejected a proposal Wednesday to scale back the state’s certificate of need (CON) program for licensing hospitals, hospices, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities.
LobbyTools reports that SB 1144, filed by Niceville Republican state Sen. Don Gaetz, sought to give exemptions from the CON requirement to facilities that provide “charity care in an amount equal to or greater than the applicable district average among licensed providers of similar services.”
Before new beds can be built, the licensing program must receive approval from the state Agency for Health Care Administration certifying that there’s enough demand in the area.
Gaetz’ bill is the Senate’s latest attempts to reform CON, where House Republicans are looking to eliminate the requirement for hospitals, but keep it intact for other health-care facilities.
LobbyTools notes the bill failed in the Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee on a 6-2 vote.
“I’m finding it pretty frightening that most of my friends are opposing this,” Gaetz said afterward. “And the Obama administration agrees with me.”
Palm Harbor Republican State Rep. Chris Sprowls sponsored (HB 437), the House bill that would end CON at hospitals. Sprowls’ bill is ready for a floor vote, yet there is now no Senate counterpart.
