The Office of Certificate of Need and Healthcare Facility Licensure of the Division of Health Facilities Evaluation and Licensing in the Senior Services and Health Systems Branch of the Department of Health and Senior Services (Department) is proposing to readopt N.J.A.C. 8:33F, Certificate of Need: Long Term Acute Care Hospitals.  The notice of proposal appears in the March 3, 2008 issue of the New Jersey Register.

       N.J.A.C. 8:33F implements the provisions of the Health Care Facilities Planning Act (Act), N.J.S.A. 26:2H-1 et seq., by establishing the certificate of need requirements for all new long-term acute care hospitals (LTACH) and for all licensed LTACHs proposing to alter their licensed bed complement.  N.J.A.C. 8:33F establishes the application and review process, the relationship between licensure and certificate of need requirements, data reporting requirements, and sets forth the minimum size of LTACHs.  The criteria and standards contained in the proposed readoption of N.J.A.C. 8:33F are designed to promote the expansion of high quality LTACH services for high-acuity, long-stay acute care patients by providing services in a clinically appropriate specialized setting, to the extent that they are needed throughout the State. 

       The public has until May 2, 2008 to comment on the notice of proposal.  Persons wishing to comment on the proposal must submit their comments in writing to Ruth Charbonneau, Director, Office of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, Office of the Commissioner, Department of Health and Senior Services, PO Box 360, Trenton, NJ 08625-0360.  Written comments on the proposal must be postmarked on or before May 2, 2008, which is the close of the 60-day public comment period.