HB 198 revised after recommitment to Health Access Committee
Facts
Week ending 3-3-2019 was an extremely tumultuous week for health care
House
1) HB 198 started the week with its passage out of committee to the House for consideration on Monday at 8AM
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- After a couple of days in the House, HB198 was recommitted back to the Health Access Committee for rework on Thursday
- HB198 was presented after rework to the Health Care Access committee by Chairman Matt Hatchett
- It was then passed unanimously out of the Health Access Committee after a number of very pointed questions from the committee and then in a very unusual occasion, it passed out of committee to the House for consideration before Crossover Day which is Thursday March 7, 2019
- HB198 had some serious alterations made upon this approval with alterations that include
- Elimination of the health strategies council
- Inclusion of transparency language
- Approval for CTCA to become a full hospital
- Exclusion of Amsurg Cardiologist requirement for CON
- Legacy Sports Orthopedic center left in
- Most other CON reform removed from HB198
- Reduction of the Rural Hospital Tax Credit back down to $60 million cap thus losing $40 million in tac credit
- Reason given was that the increase to $100 million was to offset any losses incurred by reforming in CON
- Reduction of the Rural Hospital Tax Credit back down to $60 million cap thus losing $40 million in tac credit