Title 31, Chapter 6, Section 40.2
( 31-6-40.2)
(a) As used in this Code section only, the term: (1) "Certificate of need application" means an application for a
certificate of need filed with the department, any amendments
thereto, and any other written material relating to the
application and filed by the applicant with the department. (2) "First three years of operation" means the first three
consecutive 12 month periods beginning on the first day of a new
perinatal service's first full calendar month of operation. (3) "First year of operation" means the first consecutive 12 month
period beginning on the first day of a new perinatal service's
first full calendar month of operation. (4) "New perinatal service" means a perinatal service whose first
year of operation ends after April 6, 1992. (5) "Perinatal service" means obstetric and neonatal services. (6) "Uncompensated indigent or charity care" means the dollar
amount of "net uncompensated indigent or charity care after direct
and indirect (all) compensation" as defined by, and calculated in
accordance with, the department's Hospital Indigent Care Survey
and related instructions. (7) "Year" means one of the three consecutive 12 month periods in
a new perinatal service's first 36 months of operation. (b)(1) A new perinatal service shall provide uncompensated
indigent or charity care in an amount which meets or exceeds the
department's established minimum at the time the department issued
the certificate of need approval for such service for each of the
service's first three years of operation; provided, however, that
if the certificate of need application under which a new perinatal
service was approved included a commitment that uncompensated
indigent or charity care would be provided in an amount greater
than the established minimum for any time period described in the
certificate of need application that falls completely within such
new perinatal service's first three years of operation, such new
perinatal service shall provide indigent or charity care in an
amount which meets or exceeds the amount committed in the
certificate of need application for each time period described in
the certificate of need application that falls completely within
the service's first three years of operation. (2) The department shall revoke the certificate of need and
authority to operate of a new perinatal service if after notice to
the grantee of the certificate or such grantee's successors, and
after opportunity for a fair hearing pursuant to Chapter 13 of
Title 50, the "Georgia Administrative Procedure Act," the
department determines that such new perinatal service has failed
to provide indigent or charity care in accordance with the
requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection and such failure
is determined by the department to be for reasons substantially
within the perinatal service provider's control. The department
shall provide the requisite notice, conduct the fair hearing, if
requested, and render its determination within 90 days after the
end of the first year, or, if applicable, the first time period
described in paragraph (1) of this subsection during which the new
perinatal service fails to provide indigent or charity care in
accordance with the requirements of paragraph (1) of this
subsection. Revocation shall be effective 30 days after the date
of the determination by the department that the requirements of
paragraph (1) of this subsection have not been met. (c)(1) A new perinatal service shall achieve the standard number
of births specified in the state health plan in effect at the time
of the issuance of the certificate of need approval by the
department in at least one year during its first three years of
operation. (2) The department shall revoke the certificate of need and
authority to operate of a new perinatal service if after notice to
the grantee of the certificate of need or such grantee's
successors, and after opportunity for a fair hearing pursuant to
Chapter 13 of Title 50, the "Georgia Administrative Procedure
Act," the department determines that such new perinatal service
has failed to comply with the applicable requirements of paragraph
(1) of this subsection and such failure is determined by the
department to be for reasons substantially within the perinatal
service provider's control. The department shall provide the
requisite notice, conduct the fair hearing, if requested, and
render its determination within 90 days after the end of the new
perinatal service's first three years of operation. Revocation
shall be effective 30 days after the date of the determination by
the department that the requirements of this paragraph or
paragraph (1) of this subsection have not been met. (d) Nothing contained in this Code section shall limit the
department's authority to regulate perinatal services in ways or for
time periods not addressed by the provisions of this Code section. |