§ 2801-G — Community forum on hospital closure

§ 2801-g. Community forum on hospital closure. 1. No later than thirty\ndays after the closure of a general hospital, the commissioner shall\nhold a public community forum for the purpose of obtaining public input\nconcerning the anticipated impact of the general hospital's closure on\naccess to health care services by members of the surrounding community,\nincluding but not limited to recipients of medical assistance for needy\npersons, the uninsured, and underserved populations, and options and\nproposals to ameliorate such anticipated impact. The commissioner shall\nafford community members, health care providers, labor unions, payers,\nbusinesses and consumers a reasonable opportunity to speak about\nrelevant matters at such community forum.\n 2. No later than sixty days after holding a community forum pursuant\nto subdivision one of this section, the commissioner shall make\navailable to the public on the department's website information\nregarding:\n (a) the anticipated impact of the general hospital's closure on access\nto health care services by members of the surrounding community,\nincluding but not limited to recipients of medical assistance for needy\npersons, the uninsured, and underserved populations;\n (b) specific measures the department and other parties have taken or\nwill take to ameliorate such anticipated impact; and\n (c) any further recommendations regarding access to health care\nservices in communities impacted by the general hospital's closure.\n 3. A community forum conducted pursuant to this section shall be held\nat a location within a reasonable proximity to the general hospital\nsubject to closure, and shall be announced no less than ten days prior\nto the date of such community forum.\n 4. At least thirty days prior to a general hospital applying to the\nfederal centers for medicare and medicaid services to convert from a\ngeneral hospital with inpatients to a rural emergency hospital under 42\nUSC 1395x(kkk), or successor provisions, such hospital shall hold a\npublic community forum for the purpose of obtaining public input\nconcerning the anticipated impact of the hospital's closure of inpatient\nunits, including but not limited to, the impact on recipients of medical\nassistance for needy persons, the uninsured, people with disabilities,\nand medically underserved populations, and options and proposals to\nameliorate such anticipated impact. The hospital shall notify health\ncare providers, labor unions, the congressional representative for the\ndistrict in which the facility is located, the county executive of the\ncounty in which the facility is located, and the state senator and\nassembly member representing the area within which the facility is\nlocated of the date, time, and location of the community forum. The\nhospital shall afford all public participants a reasonable opportunity\nto speak about relevant matters at such community forum. Prior to any\ncommunity forum and as soon as practicable, the hospital shall be\nrequired to:\n (a) notify the office of mental health and the local director of\ncommunity services in the event such general hospital has psychiatric\ninpatient beds licensed under article thirty-one of the mental hygiene\nlaw or designated pursuant to section 9.39 of the mental hygiene law,\nand\n (b) notify the office of addiction services and supports in the event\nsuch general hospital has inpatient substance use disorder treatment\nprograms or inpatient chemical dependence treatment programs licensed\nunder article thirty-two of the mental hygiene law. The commissioner\nshall also accept comments submitted in writing at such public forum and\nby mail within at least two weeks following the community forum.\n