Health Facilities Commission outlines staffing gaps and CON phase-out as committee approves its budget
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Summary
The Health Facilities Commission asked the Senate committee for additional surveyors, licensure staff and a paralegal to address a recertification and complaint backlog; the commission reported progress but said eliminating the backlog by the statutory deadline was unlikely without federal flexibility. The panel’s budget was approved and sent to Finance.
Logan Grant, executive director of the Health Facilities Commission, told the Senate Health & Welfare Committee the agency faces a growing workload after CMS administrative changes increased complaint investigations and recertification demands. Grant asked for additional immediate-jeopardy complaint surveyors, licensure positions, life-safety inspectors and a paralegal to help legal staff; he also requested a state share ($80,000 annually) to help facilities with NICU re-verification costs.
Grant described a recertification backlog that improved slightly from January 2025 levels but remains substantial: the commission has nine of 85 surveyor positions vacant and has set aside $600,000 to hire contract surveyors, though a contract recertification can cost up to $60,000. He said statutory deadlines to eliminate the backlog (December 31, 2026) are likely unachievable without CMS policy changes or more permanent resources.
Grant also reported that the phased elimination of Certificate of Need (CON) began Dec. 1 and is proceeding; the commission will consider several hundred provisional licenses for NICUs, PET/MRI and burn units and has set verification and accreditation timelines: MRI/PET accreditation within two years, NICU reverification within three years, and burn-unit verification within five years.
After questions about fiscal impacts and fee structures if CON fees are eliminated, the committee voted to approve the Health Facilities Commission budget and send it to Finance.
