(a) This act shall be known and may be cited as the health care provider cooperation act.

(b) The legislature finds as follows: (1) Technological and scientific developments in health care have enhanced the prospects for further improvement in the quality of care provided to Kansas citizens; (2) the costs of improved technology and improved scientific methods for the provision of health care are significant factors in the escalating cost of health care; (3) cooperative agreements among health care providers concerning the provision of services can foster further improvements in the quality of health care for Kansas citizens, moderate increases in costs, avoid duplication of resources and improve access to needed services in rural areas of Kansas; and (4) because cooperative agreements may require health care providers to collaborate on the provision of services, thereby raising the issue of anti-trust effects, regulatory oversight of cooperative agreements is necessary to ensure that the benefits of agreements outweigh any disadvantages attributable to any reduction in competition resulting from such agreements.

(c) Cooperative agreements approved pursuant to this act articulate and implement the policy of the state to improve and protect the quality and availability of health care to Kansas citizens. Continued active supervision by the state over all aspects of such agreements, and the standards and requirements established by this act, will provide protection to the public offsetting the loss of protection otherwise provided by competition.