BILL REQ. #: S-4476.1
| State of Washington | 60th Legislature | 2008 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/23/08. Referred to Committee on Health & Long-Term Care.
AN ACT Relating to a community impact study for hospital conversions; and amending RCW 70.45.080.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 70.45.080 and 1997 c 332 s 8 are each amended to read
as follows:
The department shall only approve an application if the acquisition
in question will not detrimentally affect the continued existence of
accessible, affordable health care that is responsive to the needs of
the community in which the hospital to be acquired is located. To this
end, the department shall not approve an application unless, at a
minimum, it determines that:
(1) Sufficient safeguards are included to assure the affected
community continued access to affordable care, and that alternative
sources of care are available in the community should the acquisition
result in a reduction or elimination of particular health services;
(2) The acquisition will not result in the revocation of hospital
privileges;
(3) Sufficient safeguards are included to maintain appropriate
capacity for health science research and health care provider
education;
(4) The acquiring person and parties to the acquisition are
committed to providing health care to the disadvantaged, the uninsured,
and the underinsured and to providing benefits to promote improved
health in the affected community. Activities and funding provided
under RCW 70.45.070(8) may be considered in evaluating compliance with
this commitment; ((and))
(5) Sufficient safeguards are included to avoid conflict of
interest in patient referral ; and
(6) The proposed acquisition will not detrimentally affect the
continued existence of accessible, affordable health care responsive to
the needs of the community as determined in an independent analysis.
The department shall employ, at the expense of the applicant, an
independent expert to conduct the analysis. This expense must be in
addition to fees charged under RCW 70.45.030.