Georgia lawmakers have agreed to changes in the state’s health care permitting law. The House and Senate have approved House Bill 1339, which is now awaiting Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to sign or veto the bill.
One of the key provisions in the bill would allow historically Black Morehouse School of Medicine to open a hospital in central Atlanta, taking over services previously offered by the now-closed Atlanta Medical Center. Additionally, a hospital could potentially reopen in Cuthbert, Georgia, which has been without medical services for over 12 months.
Certificates of need have been in place in Georgia since the 1970s and require individuals to prove the necessity of expanding health facilities or services. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones has advocated for loosening or removing these rules to increase accessibility to quality health care. The bill also includes provisions to streamline the process for building new hospitals in smaller counties and removing spending caps for existing hospitals.
While some changes requested by the Senate were rejected by the House, the overall goal of the bill is to remove barriers to expanding quality health care services in Georgia. Through this legislation, lawmakers hope to make it easier for hospitals to provide care to underserved areas and improve overall access to health services for residents across the state.
