The bill H.719 aims to facilitate collaboration among hospitals and health systems in Vermont by providing a framework for state action immunity under federal and state antitrust laws. It introduces a new section, 18 V.S.A. 9405d, which outlines the intent of the General Assembly to support hospital collaborations that align with Vermont's health policy goals. The bill specifies that such collaborations must be authorized and supervised by the Secretary of Human Services, ensuring that they meet certain conditions to qualify for immunity from antitrust litigation. Additionally, it allows for the sharing of relevant data among participating hospitals and health systems to achieve the collaboration's objectives.

Furthermore, the bill amends existing antitrust laws to exempt hospital and health system collaborations that comply with the new requirements from being classified as unfair competition or criminal antitrust violations. Specifically, it adds provisions to 9 V.S.A. 2453 and 9 V.S.A. 2453a, clarifying that these collaborations will not be subject to the prohibitions outlined in those sections, provided they adhere to the stipulations set forth in 18 V.S.A. 9405d. The act is set to take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 9-2453, 9-2453a