{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/32.1-102.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/32.1-102.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/32.1-102.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/32.1-102.1.html"}],"law_id":77111,"edition_id":1,"section_id":77111,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.1","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"1982, c. 388; 1983, c. 533; 1984, c. 740; 1985, c. 513; 1989, c. 517; 1991, c. 561; 1992, c. 612; 1993, c. 704; 1995, c. 524; 1996, c. 1050; 1997, c. 600; 1998, c. 289; 1999, cc. 899, 920, 922; 2000, cc. 850, 920; 2004, c. 75; 2007, c. 502; 2008, c. 664; 2009, cc. 67, 175, 813, 840; 2011, cc. 92, 150; 2012, cc. 476, 492, 507, 803, 835; 2015, cc. 541, 542, 651; 2017, cc. 458, 791; 2020, c. 1271.","full_text":"As used in this article, unless the context indicates otherwise:\n\t\t“Application” means a prescribed format for the presentation of data and information deemed necessary by the Board to determine a public need for a project.\n\t\t“Bad debt” means revenue amounts deemed uncollectable as determined after collection efforts based upon sound credit and collection policies.\n\t\t“Certificate” means a certificate of public need for a project required by this article.\n\t\t“Charity care” means health care services delivered to a patient who has a family income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level and for which it was determined that no payment was expected (i) at the time the service was provided because the patient met the facility’s criteria for the provision of care without charge due to the patient’s status as an indigent person or (ii) at some time following the time the service was provided because the patient met the facility’s criteria for the provision of care without charge due to the patient’s status as an indigent person. “Charity care” does not include care provided for a fee subsequently deemed uncollectable as bad debt. For a nursing home as defined in \u00a7 32.1-123, “charity care” means care at a reduced rate to indigent persons.\n\t\t“Clinical health service” means a single diagnostic, therapeutic, rehabilitative, preventive or palliative procedure or a series of such procedures that may be separately identified for billing and accounting purposes.\n\t\t“Health planning region” means a contiguous geographical area of the Commonwealth with a population base of at least 500,000 persons which is characterized by the availability of multiple levels of medical care services, reasonable travel time for tertiary care, and congruence with planning districts.\n\t\t“Project” means any action described in subsection B of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3.\n\t\t“Regional health planning agency” means the regional agency, including the regional health planning board, its staff and any component thereof, designated by the Virginia Health Planning Board to perform the health planning activities set forth in this chapter within a health planning region.\n\t\t“State Health Services Plan” means the planning document adopted by the Board of Health which shall include, but not be limited to, (i) methodologies for projecting need for each type of medical care facility described in subsection A of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3 and each type of project described in subsection B of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3; (ii) statistical information on the availability of each type of medical care facility described in subsection A of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3 and each type of project described in subsection B of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3; and (iii) procedures, criteria, and standards for review of applications for projects for each type of medical care facility described in subsection A of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3 and each type of project described in subsection B of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":276649,"text":"As used in this article, unless the context indicates otherwise:\n\t\t“Application” means a prescribed format for the presentation of data and information deemed necessary by the Board to determine a public need for a project.\n\t\t“Bad debt” means revenue amounts deemed uncollectable as determined after collection efforts based upon sound credit and collection policies.\n\t\t“Certificate” means a certificate of public need for a project required by this article.\n\t\t“Charity care” means health care services delivered to a patient who has a family income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level and for which it was determined that no payment was expected (i) at the time the service was provided because the patient met the facility’s criteria for the provision of care without charge due to the patient’s status as an indigent person or (ii) at some time following the time the service was provided because the patient met the facility’s criteria for the provision of care without charge due to the patient’s status as an indigent person. “Charity care” does not include care provided for a fee subsequently deemed uncollectable as bad debt. For a nursing home as defined in \u00a7 32.1-123, “charity care” means care at a reduced rate to indigent persons.\n\t\t“Clinical health service” means a single diagnostic, therapeutic, rehabilitative, preventive or palliative procedure or a series of such procedures that may be separately identified for billing and accounting purposes.\n\t\t“Health planning region” means a contiguous geographical area of the Commonwealth with a population base of at least 500,000 persons which is characterized by the availability of multiple levels of medical care services, reasonable travel time for tertiary care, and congruence with planning districts.\n\t\t“Project” means any action described in subsection B of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3.\n\t\t“Regional health planning agency” means the regional agency, including the regional health planning board, its staff and any component thereof, designated by the Virginia Health Planning Board to perform the health planning activities set forth in this chapter within a health planning region.\n\t\t“State Health Services Plan” means the planning document adopted by the Board of Health which shall include, but not be limited to, (i) methodologies for projecting need for each type of medical care facility described in subsection A of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3 and each type of project described in subsection B of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3; (ii) statistical information on the availability of each type of medical care facility described in subsection A of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3 and each type of project described in subsection B of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3; and (iii) procedures, criteria, and standards for review of applications for projects for each type of medical care facility described in subsection A of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3 and each type of project described in subsection B of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14008,"edition_id":1,"name":"Medical Care Facilities Certificate of Public Need","identifier":"1.1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13670,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:36","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:36","permalink":{"id":202397,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14008,"identifier":"1.1","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1","url":"\/32.1\/4\/1.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13670,"edition_id":1,"name":"Health Care Planning","identifier":"4","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12727,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:31","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:31","permalink":{"id":202389,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13670,"identifier":"4","token":"32.1\/4","url":"\/32.1\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12727,"edition_id":1,"name":"Health","identifier":"32.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":201099,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12727,"identifier":"32.1","token":"32.1","url":"\/32.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":77111,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.1","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/32.1-102.1\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.1","metadata":false},{"id":75479,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.10","catch_line":"Commencing project without certificate or registration grounds for refusing to issue license","url":"\/32.1-102.10\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.10","metadata":false},{"id":55098,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.11","catch_line":"Application of article","url":"\/32.1-102.11\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.11","metadata":false},{"id":63051,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.12","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/32.1-102.12\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.12","metadata":false},{"id":77991,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.13","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/32.1-102.13\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.13","metadata":false},{"id":86983,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.1:1","catch_line":"Equipment registration required","url":"\/32.1-102.1_1\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.1_1","metadata":false},{"id":69151,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.1:2","catch_line":"Certificate of public need required; 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applications to be filed in response to Requests for Applications (RFAs)","url":"\/32.1-102.3_2\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.3_2","metadata":false},{"id":72268,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.3:2.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/32.1-102.3_2.1\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.3_2.1","metadata":false},{"id":70992,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.3:2.2","catch_line":"Expired","url":"\/32.1-102.3_2.2\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.3_2.2","metadata":false},{"id":81767,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.3:3","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/32.1-102.3_3\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.3_3","metadata":false},{"id":85570,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.3:5","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/32.1-102.3_5\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.3_5","metadata":false},{"id":58921,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.3:7","catch_line":"Application for transfer of nursing facility beds","url":"\/32.1-102.3_7\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.3_7","metadata":false},{"id":87198,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.3:8","catch_line":"Application for an open admission period for a continuing care retirement community","url":"\/32.1-102.3_8\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.3_8","metadata":false},{"id":84648,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.4","catch_line":"Conditions of certificates; monitoring; revocation of certificates; civil penalties","url":"\/32.1-102.4\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.4","metadata":false},{"id":70069,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.5","catch_line":"Certificate not transferable","url":"\/32.1-102.5\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.5","metadata":false},{"id":59090,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.6","catch_line":"Administrative procedures","url":"\/32.1-102.6\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.6","metadata":false},{"id":73958,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.6:1","catch_line":"Revocation of a certificate","url":"\/32.1-102.6_1\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.6_1","metadata":false},{"id":62746,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.7","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/32.1-102.7\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.7","metadata":false},{"id":64703,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.8","catch_line":"Enjoining project undertaken without certificate or registration","url":"\/32.1-102.8\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.8","metadata":false},{"id":64968,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.9","catch_line":"Designation of judge","url":"\/32.1-102.9\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.9","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":75479,"structure_id":14008,"section_number":"32.1-102.10","catch_line":"Commencing project without certificate or registration grounds for refusing to issue license","url":"\/32.1-102.10\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.10","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/32.1-102.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1982. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 388 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1982 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 22 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1983, chapter 533; in 1984, chapter 740; in 1985, chapter 513; in 1989, chapter 517; in 1991, chapter 561; in 1992, chapter 612; in 1993, chapter 704; in 1995, chapter 524<\/a>; in 1996, chapter 1050<\/a>; in 1997, chapter 600<\/a>; in 1998, chapter 289<\/a>; in 1999, chapters 899<\/a>, 920<\/a>, and 922<\/a>; in 2000, chapters 850<\/a> and 920<\/a>; in 2004, chapter 75<\/a>; in 2007, chapter 502<\/a>; in 2008, chapter 664<\/a>; in 2009, chapters 67<\/a>, 175<\/a>, 813<\/a>, and 840<\/a>; in 2011, chapters 92<\/a> and 150<\/a>; in 2012, chapters 476<\/a>, 492<\/a>, 507<\/a>, 803<\/a>, and 835<\/a>; in 2015, chapters 541<\/a>, 542<\/a>, and 651<\/a>; in 2017, chapters 458<\/a> and 791<\/a>; in 2020, chapter 1271<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":64806,"section_number":"23.1-2412","catch_line":"Transfer of existing hospital facilities","order_by":null,"url":"\/23.1-2412\/"},{"id":85729,"section_number":"32.1-102.2","catch_line":"Regulations","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-102.2\/"},{"id":58917,"section_number":"32.1-125.3","catch_line":"Bed capacity and licensure in hospitals designated as critical access hospitals; designation as rural hospital","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-125.3\/"},{"id":71970,"section_number":"32.1-126.1","catch_line":"Asbestos inspection for hospitals","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-126.1\/"},{"id":83484,"section_number":"32.1-126.3","catch_line":"Fire suppression systems required in hospitals","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-126.3\/"},{"id":84829,"section_number":"32.1-276.5","catch_line":"Providers to submit data; civil penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-276.5\/"},{"id":58137,"section_number":"54.1-2400.6","catch_line":"Hospitals, other health care institutions, home health and hospice organizations, and assisted living facilities required to report disciplinary actions against and certain disorders of health professionals; immunity from liability; failure to report","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-2400.6\/"},{"id":67305,"section_number":"54.1-2937.1","catch_line":"Retiree license","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-2937.1\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":63394,"section_number":"32.1-102.1:3","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2028) Medical care facilities and projects for which a certificate is required","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-102.1_3\/"},{"id":80727,"section_number":"32.1-123","catch_line":"(Effective January 1, 2026) Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-123\/"}],"permalink":{"id":202399,"object_type":"law","relational_id":77111,"identifier":"32.1-102.1","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.1","url":"\/32.1-102.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/32.1-102.1\/","token":"32.1\/4\/1.1\/32.1-102.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 32.1-102.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

As used in this article, unless the context indicates otherwise:\n\t\t“Application<\/span>” means a prescribed format for the presentation of data and information deemed necessary by the Board<\/span> to determine a public need for a project<\/span>.\n\t\t“Bad debt<\/span>” means revenue amounts deemed uncollectable as determined after collection efforts based upon sound credit and collection policies.\n\t\t“Certificate<\/span>” means a certificate<\/span> of public need for a project<\/span> required by this article.\n\t\t“Charity care<\/span>” means health care services delivered to a patient who has a family income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level and for which it was determined that no payment was expected (i) at the time the service was provided because the patient met the facility’s criteria for the provision of care without charge due to the patient’s status as an indigent<\/span> person<\/span> or (ii) at some time following the time the service was provided because the patient met the facility’s criteria for the provision of care without charge due to the patient’s status as an indigent<\/span> person<\/span>. “Charity care<\/span>” does not include care provided for a fee subsequently deemed uncollectable as bad debt<\/span>. For a nursing home as defined in \u00a7 32.1-123<\/a>, “charity care<\/span>” means care at a reduced rate to indigent<\/span> persons<\/span>.\n\t\t“Clinical health service<\/span>” means a single diagnostic, therapeutic, rehabilitative, preventive or palliative procedure or a series of such procedures that may be separately identified for billing and accounting purposes.\n\t\t“Health planning region<\/span>” means a contiguous geographical area of the Commonwealth with a population base of at least 500,000 persons<\/span> which is characterized by the availability of multiple levels of medical care services, reasonable travel time for tertiary care, and congruence with planning districts.\n\t\t“Project<\/span>” means any action described in subsection B of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3<\/a>.\n\t\t“Regional health planning agency<\/span>” means the regional agency, including the regional health planning board<\/span>, its staff and any component thereof, designated by the Virginia Health Planning Board<\/span> to perform the health planning activities set forth in this chapter within a health planning region<\/span>.\n\t\t“State Health Services Plan<\/span>” means the planning document adopted by the Board<\/span> of Health which shall include, but not be limited to, (i) methodologies for projecting need for each type of medical care facility<\/span> described in subsection A of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3<\/a> and each type of project<\/span> described in subsection B of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3<\/a>; (ii) statistical information on the availability of each type of medical care facility<\/span> described in subsection A of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3<\/a> and each type of project<\/span> described in subsection B of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3<\/a>; and (iii) procedures, criteria, and standards for review of applications<\/span> for projects<\/span> for each type of medical care facility<\/span> described in subsection A of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3<\/a> and each type of project<\/span> described in subsection B of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3<\/a>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 32.1-102.1)\n\nAs used in this article, unless the context indicates otherwise:\n\t\t“Application” means a prescribed format for the presentation of\ndata and information deemed necessary by the Board to determine a public need\nfor a project.\n\t\t“Bad debt” means revenue amounts deemed uncollectable as\ndetermined after collection efforts based upon sound credit and collection\npolicies.\n\t\t“Certificate” means a certificate of public need for a project\nrequired by this article.\n\t\t“Charity care” means health care services delivered to a patient\nwho has a family income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level and\nfor which it was determined that no payment was expected (i) at the time the\nservice was provided because the patient met the facility’s criteria for\nthe provision of care without charge due to the patient’s status as an\nindigent person or (ii) at some time following the time the service was provided\nbecause the patient met the facility’s criteria for the provision of care\nwithout charge due to the patient’s status as an indigent person.\n“Charity care” does not include care provided for a fee subsequently\ndeemed uncollectable as bad debt. For a nursing home as defined in \u00a7 32.1-123,\n“charity care” means care at a reduced rate to indigent persons.\n\t\t“Clinical health service” means a single diagnostic, therapeutic,\nrehabilitative, preventive or palliative procedure or a series of such\nprocedures that may be separately identified for billing and accounting\npurposes.\n\t\t“Health planning region” means a contiguous geographical area of\nthe Commonwealth with a population base of at least 500,000 persons which is\ncharacterized by the availability of multiple levels of medical care services,\nreasonable travel time for tertiary care, and congruence with planning\ndistricts.\n\t\t“Project” means any action described in subsection B of \u00a7\n32.1-102.1:3.\n\t\t“Regional health planning agency” means the regional agency,\nincluding the regional health planning board, its staff and any component\nthereof, designated by the Virginia Health Planning Board to perform the health\nplanning activities set forth in this chapter within a health planning region.\n\t\t“State Health Services Plan” means the planning document adopted\nby the Board of Health which shall include, but not be limited to, (i)\nmethodologies for projecting need for each type of medical care facility\ndescribed in subsection A of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3 and each type of project described\nin subsection B of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3; (ii) statistical information on the\navailability of each type of medical care facility described in subsection A of\n\u00a7 32.1-102.1:3 and each type of project described in subsection B of \u00a7\n32.1-102.1:3; and (iii) procedures, criteria, and standards for review of\napplications for projects for each type of medical care facility described in\nsubsection A of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3 and each type of project described in subsection\nB of \u00a7 32.1-102.1:3.\n\nHISTORY: 1982, c. 388; 1983, c. 533; 1984, c. 740; 1985, c. 513; 1989, c. 517;\n1991, c. 561; 1992, c. 612; 1993, c. 704; 1995, c. 524; 1996, c. 1050; 1997, c.\n600; 1998, c. 289; 1999, cc. 899, 920, 922; 2000, cc. 850, 920; 2004, c. 75;\n2007, c. 502; 2008, c. 664; 2009, cc. 67, 175, 813, 840; 2011, cc. 92, 150;\n2012, cc. 476, 492, 507, 803, 835; 2015, cc. 541, 542, 651; 2017, cc. 458, 791;\n2020, c. 1271.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}