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Committee approves rule change to deem CMS-certified hospitals licensed in Idaho
Summary
The committee approved a rule docket that removes duplicative state hospital licensing requirements and deems hospitals certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as licensed in Idaho, aligning state rules with federal CMS certification standards.
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved a rule docket to repeal specified Idaho hospital licensing rules and to deem hospitals that hold CMS certification as licensed in Idaho. Jared Larson, the department’s legislative and regulatory affairs chief, told the committee that the change removes additional state-specific licensing burdens for hospitals that already meet federal CMS standards.
Larson said the temporary docket “keeps those temporary rules in effect from [last] session until July first of this year” and that the department is also working with Sen. Blaylock to move necessary components to statute. He described the department’s approach as returning policy questions to the Legislature: “Policy should begin at the legislature,” he said.
Sen. Wintrow asked whether the change would affect eligibility or accessibility; Larson replied it would not, saying it does not change eligibility or accessibility standards for patients. The motion to approve the docket was made by Sen. Harris; the committee approved it by voice vote.
The department said the change responds to a state code provision that prevents Idaho from imposing licensing more restrictive than federal requirements and that most Idaho hospitals already accept CMS patients and meet federal inspection standards. The committee approved the docket and moved on to other rule dockets.
