Sec. 4.5. (a) As a part of a certificate of public advantage granted by the state department under this chapter, the state department may enter into an agreement with a nonprofit organization or a postsecondary educational institution to study the impacts of the certificate of public advantage on the community’s health metrics and outcomes, including any item included in section 4(b) of this chapter. However, the state department may not enter into an agreement for more than one (1) study.

     (b) If a study is entered into under subsection (a) the following requirements must be met:

(1) The hospital operating under the certificate of public advantage shall supply data it owns or maintains that is related to the certificate of public advantage and that is required by the nonprofit organization or a postsecondary educational institution to conduct the study and the data supplied must comply with the requirements under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

(2) The preliminary report must be completed within four (4) years of the certificate of public advantage being granted.

(3) A final report must be completed within ten (10) years of the certificate of public advantage being granted.

(4) Copies of the preliminary and final report must be distributed to the following:

(A) The state department.

(B) The general assembly, including members of the interim study committee on public health, behavioral health, and human services in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6.

     (c) Nothing in this section requires the state department to pay for a study.

     (d) Nothing in this section requires a hospital operating under the certificate of public advantage to supply data that it does not own or maintain for purposes of a study.

As added by P.L.62-2022, SEC.6.