What HB 1299 does: Allows hospital authorities in rural counties (under 50,000 population) to jointly own outpatient healthcare facilities with a single group of specialty physicians. The hospital authority must own at least 51% of the facility.
Consumer impact: Could expand access to outpatient specialty care in rural communities where patients currently travel long distances. However, the bill does not require joint ventures to serve uninsured or Medicaid patients, and physician-hospital joint ventures raise questions about whether financial incentives align with community health needs.