Rhode Island certificate of need
Rhode Island has a certificate of need program, run by Rhode Island Department of Health (state agency), with review by the Health Services Council. It covers 11 kinds of services, listed below.
- CON program
- Yes
- Services covered
- 11
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Rhode Island CON program
Rhode Island has a certificate of need program, run by Rhode Island Department of Health (state agency), with review by the Health Services Council. It covers 11 kinds of services, listed below.
- CON program
- Yes
- Program
- Certificate of Need (Determination of Need for New Healthcare Equipment and New Institutional Health Services)
- Review timeline
- Letter of intent at least 45 days before applying. Reviews run at least twice a year, and no more than 120 days may pass between notice to affected persons and the final decision; if the agency misses this, the applicant may petition Providence County Superior Court (R.I. Gen. Laws §23-15-6).
- Recent changes
- Nursing facility bed reclassifications and small annual bed increases (the greater of 10 beds or 10%, with capital cost up to $2,000,000) may be exempted by rule.
- Statute
- R.I. Gen. Laws chapter 23-15 (§§23-15-1 to 23-15-11)
Services that need a certificate of need
- hospitals
- nursing facilities
- home nursing-care providers
- home-care providers
- hospice providers and inpatient hospice facilities
- inpatient rehabilitation centers including drug/alcohol treatment
- freestanding emergency-care facilities
- multi-practice ambulatory surgery centers (single-practice physician/podiatry ASCs exempt unless set up by a medical practice group)
- capital expenditures above $5,250,000 (CPI-adjusted from 2012)
- new services adding $1,500,000+ (CPI-adjusted) in operating expense
- tertiary/specialty services listed in regulation (up to 12 categories)
Frequently asked questions
Does Rhode Island have a certificate of need law?
Rhode Island has a certificate of need program, run by Rhode Island Department of Health (state agency), with review by the Health Services Council. It covers 11 kinds of services, listed below.
How long does a Rhode Island CON review take?
Letter of intent at least 45 days before applying. Reviews run at least twice a year, and no more than 120 days may pass between notice to affected persons and the final decision; if the agency misses this, the applicant may petition Providence County Superior Court (R.I. Gen. Laws §23-15-6).