The bill amends the Public Health Code to introduce a new section, 22224d, which allows individuals seeking to initiate, expand, replace, relocate, or acquire certain outpatient imaging services to file a letter of intent with the Department of Health instead of obtaining a certificate of need. The services covered under this provision include positron emission tomography scanner services, fixed or mobile magnetic resonance imager services, and fixed or mobile computerized tomography scanner services. Upon receiving the letter of intent, the department has 30 days to verify and send a written acknowledgment approving the proposed actions if the services will be provided through an outpatient imaging center.

Additionally, the bill specifies that individuals cannot proceed with the initiation, expansion, replacement, relocation, or acquisition of the specified imaging services without first obtaining this written acknowledgment from the department. The bill also defines key terms, including "facility fee," which refers to a fee for the operation of the facility rather than the service itself, and "outpatient imaging center," which is defined as a facility providing imaging services that is not owned or operated by a hospital and does not impose a facility fee.

Statutes affected:
Senate Introduced Bill: 333.1101, 333.25211