Senate rejects amendment that would have let operators reclaim vacant hospital beds; passes broader health bill

Summary

After hours of debate over unused hospital beds and certificates of need, the Mississippi Senate rejected an amendment that would have allowed operators of converted critical-access hospitals to seek certificates of need for psychiatric beds, then adopted a committee amendment and passed the underlying health bill by morning roll call.

The Mississippi Senate on an unspecified date debated and then rejected an amendment that would have allowed operators of hospitals that converted to critical-access status to regain or reassign previously relinquished hospital beds for psychiatric care, and later passed the larger health bill.

The dispute centered on amendment number 2 to committee amendment number 1. Supporters said the change would let the State Department of Health negotiate to reopen vacant beds in areas with unmet mental-health needs; opponents said the amendment would create ad hoc, one-off transfers and preferred a statewide study and solution directed by the bill.

Senator Boyd argued for keeping the amendment in place, saying it would not cost the state and would let the Department of Health “consider these empty facilities.” Boyd said the measure came out of frustration after years of unmet need for…

Senate rejects amendment that would have let operators reclaim vacant hospital beds; passes broader health bill

Summary

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