HEALTHCARE
OPPOSE – CALL TO ACTION
OPPOSE: SB1177 – Certificate of Public Need Exemption for Critical Hospitals
STATUS: This bill will be voted on TODAY, 2/14 on the House floor for the third reading.
This bill would further entrench Virginia in the problems caused by the Certificate of Public Need program. It would allow certain hospitals, defined as critical access hospitals, to receive an exemption from COPN. This interference in the market place would cause inequity and continue to allow hospitals to choose winners and losers in the market of medical services.
Find your Delegate’s contact information HERE and ask them to VOTE NO on SB1177!
SUPPORT – CALL TO ACTION
SUPPORT: SB1203 – Medical Desert Healthcare Access and Expedited Review
STATUS: This bill will be voted on TODAY, 2/14 on the House floor for the third reading.
This bill creates a process for expedited certificate of public need review in medical desert areas, defined as locations with no healthcare facility within 15-30 miles, less than one primary care physician per 3,500 residents, high poverty rates, or federal Health Professional Shortage Area designation. The Commissioner must issue determinations within 120 days of application submission, streamlining approval processes to expand healthcare access in underserved communities.
Find your Delegate’s contact information HERE and ask them to VOTE YES on SB1203!
BILL UPDATES – SUPPORT
SUPPORT: HB2119 – Medical Desert Healthcare Access and Expedited Review
STATUS: This bill passed the Senate Education and Health Committee yesterday, 2/13 and is headed to the Senate floor.
This bill creates a process for expedited certificate of public need review in medical desert areas, defined as locations with no healthcare facility within 15-30 miles, less than one primary care physician per 3,500 residents, high poverty rates, or federal Health Professional Shortage Area designation. The Commissioner must issue determinations within 120 days of application submission, streamlining approval processes to expand healthcare access in underserved communities.
SUPPORT: HB1904 – Nursery service provider expansion
STATUS: This bill passed the Senate Education and Health Committee yesterday, 2/13 and is headed to the Senate floor.
Expands healthcare access by allowing qualified nurse midwives and pediatric nurse practitioners to provide newborn nursery coverage when physicians are unavailable, with appropriate training requirements. Enables telehealth consultation options while maintaining quality standards and safety protocols. This reduces regulatory barriers and increases healthcare provider options, particularly benefiting rural areas with physician shortages.
SUPPORT: SB1064 – Medical Care Facilities Certificate of Public Need Process Reform
STATUS: This bill passed the House Health and Human Services Committee yesterday, 2/13 and is headed to the House floor.
This bill streamlines the certificate of public need (COPN) process for medical facilities by establishing an expedited 90-day review for certain psychiatric services, creating clear criteria for project reviews, and ensuring efficient processing of applications. The reforms maintain oversight of healthcare facility expansion while reducing regulatory burden through more efficient approval processes, supporting increased access to behavioral health services.
SUPPORT: SB843 – Remote Patient Monitoring
STATUS: This bill passed the House Health and Human Services Committee yesterday, 2/13 and is headed to the House floor.
This bill directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to develop a plan and estimate costs for expanding eligibility criteria under Medicaid for remote patient monitoring for individuals with chronic conditions. These proposed changes would allow for a vulnerable demographic of Virginians, those with chronic conditions, to receive critical attention from medical professionals without further jeopardizing their health through unnecessary movement and travel.
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