Allow Rural Public Health-care Entity Cooperation

The bill authorizes county public hospitals and affiliates and health service districts and affiliates authorized under certain statutory provisions, all of which are in rural areas of the state, to engage in activities that might be characterized as anticompetitive or that might result in a monopoly or displace competition. The activities that a county public hospital or health service district may engage in include, among others, joint ventures, joint purchasing agreements, and joint negotiations. In exercising these powers, the county public hospital or health service district or its affiliate is performing essential public functions on behalf of the state and is immune from any liability under federal and state antitrust laws. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)