Public Health Service--health systems agencies and state health planning and development agencies; certificate of need reviews. Notice regarding certificate of need programs.

This Notice sets forth advance information regarding amendments to the regulations governing certificate of need reviews by health systems agencies and State health planning and development agencies. This Notice is intended to provide early guidance to States prior to publication of interim final regulations implementing the amendments to certificate of need provisions of the Public Health Service Act made by the Health Planning and Resources Development Amendments of 1979 (Pub. L 96-79). This early guidance will assist the States in beginning to revise their certificate of need laws. Under the amended provisions of the Public Health Service Act, the planning agencies are required to review and determine the need for proposed capital expenditures, institutional health services and major medical equipment. The Secretary intends to publish these interim final regulations within a few weeks. Following consideration of comments which will be solicited with regard to the interim regulations, the Secretary will publish an analysis of the comments and will revise those regulations as appropriate.