Health - Unregulated Space in Hospital Operating Suites - Pilot Project

HB 1597 establishes a 3-year pilot project (2026-2029) allowing up to five Maryland hospitals to create unregulated operating room space within regulated facilities. Participating hospitals must follow specific criteria: maintain charity care, charge comparable rates to regulated services, reduce costs for Medicaid/Medicare, and avoid duplicating services in regulated spaces. The Health Services Cost Review Commission administers the pilot, requires annual reports on procedures, costs, and impacts on healthcare efficiency, and mandates data sharing from associated surgical centers. This directly affects participating hospitals, patients using unregulated space, and payers (including Medicaid/Medicare), with no changes to existing regulated hospital services.