House Bill No. 5316 (HB5316), also known as File No. 327, proposes amendments to the Certificate of Need (CON) program managed by the Office of Health Strategy's Health Systems Planning Unit (HSPU). The bill expands the definitions of "group practice" and "large group practice" to include a wider range of organizational structures and requires annual reporting from group practices with eight or more physicians, effective January 15, 2025. It also modifies the conditions under which a CON is required, such as for the establishment of new healthcare facilities, transfer of ownership, and the establishment or termination of certain medical services. The bill repeals and substitutes language in several sections of the general statutes to reflect these changes, with most provisions effective October 1, 2024, and the definition of "Large group practice" effective immediately upon passage.

Additionally, HB5316 outlines that a CON is not required for the acquisition of certain medical equipment like a proton radiotherapy machine or a nonhospital-based linear accelerator if it is a replacement for equipment previously approved through a CON. It exempts various healthcare facilities and services from the CON requirement, including those owned by the federal government, private practitioner offices, and facilities operated by religious groups. The bill also includes a temporary measure that mandates the HSPU to automatically issue a CON for ownership transfers of large group practices to certain physicians or group practices until December 31, 2025, effectively maintaining the previous exemption for a limited time. The bill has been reported favorably by the Public Health Committee with a vote of 25 to 12 on March 20, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill:
PH Joint Favorable:
File No. 327: