Hospital applications: coordinated processing., the official text

An act to add Section 1276.07 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to hospitals.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health facilities, including hospitals, by the State Department of Public Health. Existing law requires the Department of Health Care Access and Information to administer various programs related to health facilities with regard to, among other things, health data, financing, and design review and construction.
This bill would require the 2 departments to coordinate and act concurrently, to the extent practicable and consistent with applicable law, in the review and processing of any hospital application requiring approval from both departments, as specified.
The bill would require each department to commence review of a hospital application upon receipt of a complete application and payment of any applicable fee. The bill would prohibit the automatic imposition of a waiting period, but the bill would authorize imposition of a reasonable waiting period if the applicant has demonstrated a documented pattern of failure to honor a payment obligation for prior submissions.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Section 1276.07 is added to the Health and Safety Code, immediately following Section 1276.05, to read:
1276.07.
(a) The State Department of Public Health and the Department of Health Care Access and Information shall coordinate and act concurrently, to the extent practicable and consistent with applicable law, in the review and processing of any hospital application requiring approval from both departments, including, but not limited to, applications for any of the following:
(1) Construction of new facilities or modification of existing facilities.
(2) Establishment of new services or modification of existing services.
(3) Program flexibility.
(4) Any other project or transaction requiring approval from both departments.
(b) Each department shall commence review of a hospital application upon receipt of a complete application and payment of any applicable fee. A waiting period shall not automatically be imposed. However, a reasonable waiting period may be imposed if the applicant has demonstrated a documented pattern of failure to honor a payment obligation for prior submissions.