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Minutes for HB2637 - Committee on Health and Human Services
Short Title
Expanding eligibility for rural emergency hospital licensure to facilities that meet criteria at any point after 2015.
Minutes Content for Tue, Feb 6, 2024
Jenna Moyer, Revisor of Statutes, provided an overview of HB2637.
Tara Mays, Vice President State Legislative Affairs, Kansas Hospital Association (KHA), provided testimony in support of HB2637 (Attachment 8). In February of 2021, KHA appeared before this committee to testify in support of (2021) HB2261 to establish this program. Committee discussion flagged the need to include additional facilities. HB2637 would open the door for those hospitals that have closed since 2015 to reopen as Rural Emergency Hospitals. The legislation does not force any hospital towards the newly established model and does not prevent them from changing to other designations in the future. The federal government is exploring an expansion of the Rural Emergency Hospital program. This legislation will allow Kansas to take advantage of any new flexibilities provided at the federal level.
Ms. Mays responded to questions from the committee.
The following provided written only testimony in support of the bill:
Rachelle Colombo, Executive Director, Kansas Medical Society (Attachment 9)
Alex Freeman, Management Intern, League of Kansas Municipalities (Attachment 10)
Drew Talbott, President, Ascension Via Christi Pittsburg (Attachment 11)
The hearing on HB2637 was closed.
Without objection, the committee worked the bill.
Representative Eplee motioned and Representative Ruiz seconded to pass out HB2637 favorably. Motion carried.
