§ 131E-70. Construction and enlargement of local hospitals.
Article 4.
Construction and Enlargement of Hospitals.
§ 131E‑70. Construction and enlargement oflocal hospitals.
(a) The Department is authorized to continue surveys of allcounties in the State to determine:
(1) The hospital needs of the county;
(2) The economic ability of various areas to support adequatehospital service;
(3) What assistance by the State, if any, is necessary tosupplement other available funds; to finance the construction of new hospitalsand health centers, additions to existing hospitals and health centers; and tofinance equipment necessary to provide adequate hospital service for thecitizens of the county;
andto periodically report this information, together with its recommendations, tothe Governor, who shall transmit the reports to the General Assembly for anylegislative action necessary to ensure an adequate statewide hospital program.
(b) The Department is authorized to act as the agency of theState to develop and administer a statewide plan in accordance with rulesadopted by the Medical Care Commission for the construction and maintenance ofhospitals, public health centers and related facilities and to receive andadminister funds which may be provided by the General Assembly and by thefederal government.
(c) The Department is authorized to develop statewide plans forthe construction and maintenance of hospitals, medical centers and relatedfacilities, or other plans necessary in order to meet the requirements andreceive the benefits of applicable federal legislation.
(d) The Department is authorized to adopt rules to carry out theintent and purposes of this Article.
(e) The Department shall be responsible for doing all actsnecessary to authorize the State to receive the full benefits of any federalstatutes enacted for the construction and maintenance of hospitals, healthcenters or allied facilities.
(f) The Medical Care Commission shall make grants‑in‑aidto counties, cities, towns and subdivisions of government to acquire realestate and construct hospital facilities, including the reconstruction,remodeling or addition to any hospital facilities acquired by municipalities orsubdivisions of government for use as community hospitals. These appropriationsand funds made available by the State shall be allocated, apportioned andgranted for the purposes of this Article and for other purposes in accordancewith the rules adopted by the Medical Care Commission. The Medical CareCommission may furnish financial and other types of aid and assistance to anynonprofit hospital owned and operated by a corporation or association, no partof the net earnings of which inures, or may lawfully inure, to the benefit ofany private shareholder or individual, upon the same terms and conditions asthis aid and financial assistance is granted to municipalities and subdivisionsof government.
(g) The Department may make available to any eligible hospital,clinic, or other medical facility operated by the State any unallocated federalsums or balances remaining after all grants‑in‑aid for localapprovable projects made by the Department have been completed, disbursed orencumbered. (1945, c. 1096;1947, c. 933, ss. 3, 5; 1949, c. 592; 1951, c. 1183, s. 1; 1971, c. 134; 1973,c. 476, s. 152; c. 1090, s. 1; 1979, c. 504, ss. 8, 14; 1983, c. 775, s. 1.)