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HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JULY 27, 2026 7 POLITICS & POLICY rooms — will be eligible for a faster review process. Qualifying projects could receive proposed decisions within 60 days after an application is deemed complete. The expedited review process grew out of last year's emergency sale of three financially troubled hospitals formerly owned by Cali- fornia-based Prospect Medical Holdings. After Prospect filed for bankruptcy protection, state officials developed an accelerated approval process to keep the sales moving. Manchester Memorial and Rockville General hospitals were ultimately acquired by Hartford HealthCare, while Waterbury Hospital was acquired by UConn Health. Juthani said lessons learned from those reviews were incorporated into the new process. The legislation also exempts some behavioral health providers, facility relocations and ownership changes from Certificate of Need review, reducing the number of projects and deals that require state approval. Another major change taking effect next year is who will decide whether major healthcare invest- ments receive state approval. Instead of being made by the head of a single state agency, applications will be decided by a three-member panel consisting of the DPH commis- sioner, the secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and the commissioner of the Department of Social Services, or their designees. Orefice said the new structure is intended to provide broader state- wide perspectives when reviewing major healthcare investments, while addressing concerns that moving the program back to DPH could reduce the independence lawmakers sought when they created the Office of Health Strategy in 2018. Juthani said DPH has separated the Certificate of Need program from its regulatory functions within the agency and is conducting a national search for an executive director to oversee the program's day-to-day operations. Officials hope to fill the position, which is being advertised with a salary range of $122,155 to $221,942, by the end of August. Juthani said the coming year also will allow DPH to evaluate whether additional staffing or organizational changes are needed while imple- menting the revised Certificate of Need law and ensuring a smooth transition. "The goal is to keep the process understandable and predictable," she said. The Connecticut Hospital Associ- ation, which initially raised concerns that early versions of the legislation could slow approvals and add regula- tory burdens, ultimately participated in negotiations that reshaped the final bill. In a statement emailed to HBJ, CHA officials said they look forward to continuing to work with state leaders and agencies, including through a stakeholder work group established by the legislation, to implement the reforms. CHA officials added that they want "to ensure these reforms and the transition of OHS responsibilities are implemented thoughtfully and effectively to best serve patients and communities." Waterbury Hospital was one of three Connecticut hospitals sold through an expedited Certificate of Need review process last year. State officials said lessons from those reviews helped shape reforms to Connecticut's healthcare approval system. HBJ FIle Photo SPONSORED BY SOCIETY ROOM OF HARTFORD TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2026 7:30-11:00 AM REGISTER TODAY! REGISTER TODAY! SCAN FOR TICKETS & DETAILS OR VISIT HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM/HBJ-EVENTS