Source: https://code.dccouncil.us/dc/council/code/sections/44-406.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 12:54:08+00:00

Document:
D.C. Law Library - § 44–406. Certificate of need requirements.
↪ § 44–406. Certificate of need requirements.
(a) Except as provided in § 44-407, all persons proposing to offer or develop in the District a new institutional health service, or to obligate a capital expenditure to obtain an asset to be located in the District shall, prior to proceeding with that offering, development, or obligation, obtain from the SHPDA a certificate of need that demonstrates a public need for the new service or expenditure. Only those institutional health services or capital expenditures that are granted a certificate of need shall be offered, developed, or obligated within the District.
(H) A reasonably estimated projection of uncompensated care (bad debt and charity) and the nature of any proposed changes to admission policies and hours of operations over the two-year period following the Transaction.
(C) All existing financial and admission policies affecting access to the HCF based upon a patient’s ability to pay for services or treatment will be maintained for 2 years following transaction and will be consistent with existing law.
(3) If SHPDA determines that the notification is incomplete with respect to the information required under subsection (b)(1) and (2) of this section, SHPDA shall have 10 days from the filing of the notification to inform the Proposed Owner that the notification is incomplete, otherwise the information shall be deemed complete on the 11th day. The Proposed Owner must file the additional information within 15 days of such notification from SHPDA, provided that the initial filing date shall be deemed the filing date of the notification for all purposes of computation of time under this section.
(4) SHPDA shall call an information hearing, which shall be completed within 50 days following the filing of the notification provided under subsection (b)(1) of this section and after the Proposed Owner files additional information pursuant to subsection (b)(3) of this section. The hearing shall include a presentation by the Proposed Owner, describing its plans and addressing the certifications provided pursuant to subsection (b)(2) of this section, and receipt of testimony from affected persons.
(G) The acquisition costs and projected operational costs would substantially and negatively impact the Proposed Owner’s ability to comply with the certifications required under subsection (b)(2) of this section.
(6) SHPDA shall notify the Proposed Owner of any deficiency in the notification or of any proposed negative finding. If, by the 60th day, the Proposed Owner has not provided the required notification or addressed SHPDA’s proposed negative findings, SHPDA shall, upon request by the Proposed Owner, provide the Proposed Owner a reasonable opportunity to provide additional information to SHPDA, to participate in the required hearing, or to complete its required notice in order to cure any negative finding. SHPDA shall act upon such additional submission within 15 days. If the Proposed Owner does not respond to the SHPDA notice of deficiency within 6 months of the notification from SHPDA, SHPDA shall close the proceeding. If, following submission by the Proposed Owner, SHPDA finds by clear and convincing evidence that any one or more of these standards is not met, SHPDA shall require that the Proposed Owner obtain a certificate of need in accordance with the provisions of § 44-409, except that the letter of intent and public hearing requirements shall be waived. If no action is taken by SHPDA within the initial prescribed 60-day time frame, the certificate of need shall be deemed to be issued and approved on the 61st day following the filing of the notification required in subsection (b)(1) of this section. If no action is taken by SHPDA within the additional 15-day time frame provided following an additional submission by the Proposed Owner under subsection (b)(5) of this section, the certificate of need shall be deemed to be issued and approved on the 16th day following the filing of the additional submission under this subsection (b)(5) of this section.
(7) In granting a certificate of need under this subsection, SHPDA shall impose no application or process requirements, apply any review criteria, or impose any conditions except as provided in subsection (b) of this section.
(8) The Office of Attorney General for the District of Columbia may seek injunctive relief from a court of competent jurisdiction if it determines that a person is operating an HCF in violation of the certifications made under this subsection.
(9) The requirements of this subsection shall be effective without adoption by SHPDA of implementing regulations.
(c) Any person proposing to close permanently or to terminate operation of a HCF or health service shall notify the SHPDA of the intention to close or terminate operation no later than 90 days prior to the proposed closing, and obtains its approval, and shall provide the SHPDA with any information that may be requested as established in the rules promulgated to implement the provisions of this chapter. The information shall include, but not be limited to, the reasons for the closure or termination of operation, the number of patients to be affected by the closure, and the provisions being made to provide for their continuing care. When notice of closure of a HCF or health service is received, the SHPDA shall provide assistance for an orderly transition of the patient load to the extent possible.
(d) A conversion or acquiring of effective control, as defined in § 44-401(1), of a nonprofit HCF shall not be approved by the Attorney General for the District of Columbia unless charitable assets of the HCF have been adequately protected pursuant to the provisions of the Healthcare Entity Conversion Act of 1997.
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2 of Clarification of Hospital Closure Procedure Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2019 (D.C. Act 23-10, Feb. 25, 2019, 66 DCR 2461).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2 of Clarification of Hospital Closure Procedure Emergency Amendment Act of 2018 (D.C. Act 22-498, Nov. 1, 2018, 65 DCR 12327).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 2 of Clarification of Hospital Closure Procedure Temporary Amendment Act of 2018 (D.C. Law 22-220, Feb. 22, 2019, 65 DCR 13441).
The “Healthcare Entity Conversion Act of 1997,” referred to in (d), is D.C. Law 12-32.

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