Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Hospital Conversions Act

Regulation Authority:

§23-17.14-32

Purpose and Reason:

The purpose of adoption of these rules and regulations is to accomplish the principles of Chapter 23-17.14 of the Rhode Island General Laws, known as The Hospital Conversions Act, which has the following purpose: 1) to assure the viability of a safe, accessible and affordable healthcare system that is available to all of the citizens of the state; 2) to establish a process to review whether for-profit hospitals will maintain, enhance, or disrupt the delivery of healthcare in the state and to monitor hospital performance to assure that standards for community benefits continue to be met; 3) to establish a review process and criteria for review of hospital conversions; 4) to clarify the jurisdiction and the authority of the department of health to protect public health and welfare and the department of attorney general to preserve and protect public and charitable assets in reviewing both hospital conversions which involve for-profit corporations and hospital conversions which include only not-for-profit corporations; and 5) to provide for independent foundations to hold and distribute proceeds of hospital conversions consistent with the acquiree's original purpose or for the support and promotion of health care and social needs in the affected community. There are no substantive differences between the proposed rule and the final rule.