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Senator Keenan proposes 180‑day notice, public hearings and biennial health plan to manage hospital closures
Summary
Senate Bill 873 would increase notice periods and require public hearings when hospitals plan to discontinue essential services or close, create a health planning council to produce a biennial state health plan and tighten review criteria for changes affecting community access
BOSTON — Senator John Keenan told the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing that Senate Bill 873 would strengthen health‑planning processes and public engagement when hospitals consider discontinuing essential services or closing entirely.
Keenan said the bill responds to the rapid closure of facilities—he cited Quincy Medical Center and other examples—and would extend notice periods to 180 days (from 120 days for closures and from 90 days for discontinuing essential services under current law). The bill would require public hearings, written analyses describing community impacts and a health planning council to develop a state health plan every two years.
"The legislation complements the market‑review law we passed last session," Keenan said, describing provisions informed by Minnesota law and Steward Health’s experience. He said the bill’s criteria and public process would create more opportunities for community questions and mitigation planning when proposed changes threaten access.
Keenan and the committee discussed recent local impacts when hospitals closed or curtailed services and the need for clear, predictable processes to protect access. The bill would apply to hospitals proposing closures or discontinuation of essential services and would not impose significant new fiscal cost, according to the sponsor.
Committee members thanked the senator for his testimony; no vote occurred at the hearing.
