Hospital Community Benefit Accountability

Health care providers' accountability to communities - community health needs assessments - community benefit implementation plans - public meetings. The act requires the following hospitals to complete a community health needs assessment every 3 years and an annual community benefit implementation plan every year:

• A hospital that is licensed as a general hospital and exempt from federal taxation;
• A hospital established pursuant to the Denver health and hospital authority; and
• A hospital established pursuant to the University of Colorado hospital authority.

Each such hospital must report to the department of health care policy and financing (department) concerning certain community benefits, costs, and shortfalls in the preceding year, and the department is required to submit an annual summary report to subject matter committees of the general assembly. Hospitals that are licensed as general hospitals but that are not required to report may report in like fashion. The department shall develop and provide a website at which each reporting hospital shall submit reports.

The act requires each hospital to convene a public meeting at least once each year to seek feedback regarding the hospital's community benefit activities during the previous year and the hospital's community benefit implementation plan for the following year. Each hospital shall invite representatives from certain local entities and state agencies to participate in the meeting. Each hospital shall also invite the general public to the meeting in an advertisement placed in any major newspaper published in the hospital's community.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)