S 245 RURAL EMERGENCY HOSPITAL LICENSURE

Sen Elizabeth "Liz" Stefanics

Actions: [4] SIRC/SHPAC-SIRC [8] DP-SHPAC [9] DP - PASSED/S (34-0) [12] HRDLC/HHHC-HRDLC [13] DP-HHHC [17] DP [18] PASSED/H (52-0)

Scheduled: Not Scheduled

 Senate Bill 245 (SB 245) allows rural health facilities to apply for rural emergency licensure, and establishes licensure requirements. 

 A new section of the Public Health Act (PHA) is enacted to establish a rural emergency hospital license that enables certain hospitals to apply to receive federal health care reimbursement as rural emergency hospitals. Qualifying hospitals must be designated as a critical access hospital for Medicare and Medicaid services or licensed as a hospital with less than 50 beds and located in a rural county. Such hospitals must provide emergency services 24 hours per day, seven days a week, and must be staffed at all times with a physician, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or physician assistant. Further, they must have a transfer agreement with a Level I or Level II trauma center; They may not have an annual average patient length of stay over 24 hours; and they must meet any other health department requirements. Application requirements are detailed.  

 Currently, there is no mechanism to provide emergency licensure to rural hospitals in New Mexico. If the bill does not pass, the existing limitation remains. 

 HB 47 Rural Health Care Project Revolving Fund 
SB 247 Uniform Licensing Act Changes