HB 606: Medical care facility data reporting; value of charity care, gross patient charges, report. - Virginia

Finance and Appropriations Substitute → Chaptered · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill converts a legislative proposal into an official law, finalizing changes to Virginia's Certificate of Public Need program. It clarifies rules for expedited reviews of psychiatric facilities, establishes exemptions for temporary bed increases during disasters, and mandates annual charity care reporting for most medical facilities (excluding nursing homes). The text also standardizes the definition of 'charity care' value and outlines penalties for non-compliance.

Scope change

The scope of reporting requirements was expanded to include all medical care facilities (except nursing homes) that provide charity care, whereas the previous draft had specific exclusion language. The bill also formally codifies the expedited review process for specific psychiatric expansions.

REQUIREMENT

Added a specific exemption allowing temporary increases in hospital or nursing home beds during declared disasters or public health emergencies without needing a certificate.

Formalized an expedited application and review process for specific psychiatric facility expansions and bed relocations to ensure faster approval.

Mandated that all medical care facilities (excluding nursing homes) must annually report the amount of charity care provided to indigent persons.

DEFINITION

Standardized the method for calculating the 'value' of charity care, requiring it to be based on Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reimbursement rates rather than gross patient charges.

ENFORCEMENT

Established civil penalties of up to $100 per day for willful violations of certificate conditions or failure to report required data.

TECHNICAL

Converted the document from a 'Senate Substitute' draft to an enacted 'Chaptered' law with final formatting and approval dates.

Enrolled → Delegate Willett Substitute · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill text was reformatted from a standard legislative layout to a House Substitute version, which involved significant changes to line numbering, spacing, and the insertion of substitute-specific headers and dates. No substantive policy changes, such as new laws, funding amounts, or eligibility criteria, were identified in the provided text.

TECHNICAL

The document structure was altered to include 'House Substitute' headers, delegate attribution, and specific floor amendment dates, while the original 'Enrolled' session and chapter headers were removed.

Introduced → Enrolled · 5 edits · Apr 8, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was finalized as an Enrolled Act, expanding its scope from amending only one section to amending three sections related to medical care facility data reporting and charity care. It added new requirements for facilities to report charity care amounts and introduced specific rules for reviewing applications for medical equipment like MRI and CT scanners.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from amending a single section (§ 32.1-276.5) to amending three sections (§§ 32.1-102.2, 32.1-102.4, and 32.1-276.5), incorporating provisions regarding regulations for certificates of public need.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for medical care facilities (excluding nursing homes) without a conditional certificate of public need to annually report the amount of charity care they provide.

Modified regulations for reviewing applications for medical equipment (such as CT, MRI, and PET scanners) to allow for structured batching processes and specific exemptions for projects in competitive markets.

Established an expedited review process for specific psychiatric service expansions and relocations, requiring decisions within 90 days.

EXEMPTIONS

Created exemptions from certificate requirements for temporary increases in hospital or nursing home beds during natural disasters or public health emergencies.

TECHNICAL

Changed the bill title to reflect the amendment of three sections rather than one, and updated the session status from 'Introduced' to 'Enrolled'.

Delegate Willett Substitute → Finance and Appropriations Substitute · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill text was converted from a House Substitute to a Senate Substitute, which involved changing the title, adding Senate-specific metadata, and reformatting the layout. The actual legislative content, legal requirements, and policy provisions remain identical.

TECHNICAL

The document title was changed from 'HOUSE SUBSTITUTE' to 'SENATE SUBSTITUTE' to reflect the current legislative chamber. The bill number was updated from 26106695D to 26109441D, and the proposal date was updated from February 2, 2026, to March 9, 2026.

The layout and spacing were significantly altered to match Senate formatting standards, including the insertion of page breaks and margin adjustments, but no substantive policy text was added, removed, or changed.

Medical care facility data reporting; value of charity care, gross patient charges, report.

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