Certificate of public need; criteria for determination of need.

Certificate of public need; determination ofneed. Provides that, for the purpose of determining public needfor a proposed project in cases in which a provider or affiliatedgroup of providers holds a market share of 55 percent or more fora type of service or medical care facility in a planning district,a proposed project involving the same type of service or medicalcare facility in the same planning district shall be presumed to bea project that fosters institutional competition that benefits thearea to be served while improving access to essential health careservices for all persons in the area to be served, absent evidenceto the contrary. The bill also provides that, for the purpose ofdetermining public need for a proposed project in cases in whicha provider or affiliated group of providers holds a market shareof 85 percent or more, the proposed project shall be deemed to bea project that fosters institutional competition that benefits thearea to be served while improving access to essential health careservices for all persons in the area to be served.