Opinion ID: 1432114
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: National Health Planning and Resources Development Act

Text: The federal Act, as amended in 1979, establishes minimum certificate-of-need procedures which participating states must furnish to qualify for financial assistance. These procedures include notification and a hearing at which affected persons may participate as parties: (b) Each health systems agency, State Agency, and Statewide Health Coordinating Council shall include in the [review] procedures    at least the following: (1) Timely written notification to affected persons of the beginning of a review and, if a person has asked the entity conducting the review to place the person's name on a mailing list maintained by the entity, such notification shall be sent to such person.       (12) The following procedural requirements with respect to proceedings under a certificate of need program: (A) Hearings under a certificate of need program shall be held before a State Agency or a health systems agency to which the State Agency has delegated the authority to hold such a hearing. In a hearing under the program, any person shall have the right to be represented by counsel and to present oral or written arguments and evidence relevant to the matter which is the subject of the hearing, any person directly affected by the matter which is the subject of the hearing may conduct reasonable questioning of persons who make factual allegations relevant to such matter, and a record of the hearing shall be maintained.    42 U.S.C. 300n-1(b)(1) and (12)(A). The pertinent federal regulations define affected persons and mandate a public hearing upon their request, even if the state agency would not deem such persons affected: The term `affected persons' includes, at a minimum, the applicant;    health care facilities and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) located in the health service area in which the project is proposed to be located which provide services similar to the services of the facility under review   . 42 CFR § 123.401. (a) The procedures adopted and used by a State Agency for conducting the reviews covered by this subpart [certificate-of-need reviews] must include at least the following:       (8) Public hearing in the course of review. Provision for a public hearing in the course of agency review (and before the State Agency makes its decision) if requested by any affected person.       (ii) In a hearing, any person shall have the right to be represented by counsel and to present oral or written arguments and evidence relevant to the matter which is the subject of the hearing. Any person affected by the matter may conduct reasonable questioning of persons who make relevant factual allegations. (iii) The agency shall maintain a verbatim record of the hearing.       (v)    In the event that a person qualifying under the State Agency definition of `affected person' is not provided an opportunity for a public hearing by the health systems agency, due to a difference in that agency's definition of `affected persons,' the State Agency must provide that person an opportunity for a public hearing. 42 CFR 123.410(a)(8). In addition to the public hearing, the federal Act requires participating states to provide administrative and judicial review of agency decisions concerning certificates of need. 42 U.S.C. § 300n-1(b)(12)(D) and (E).