The Certificate of Need (CON) program is a regulatory process that requires certain health care providers to obtain state approval before offering certain new or expanded services. For example, a certificate of need would be required if a hospital wishes to establish a comprehensive medical rehabilitation program.

The CON process is intended to help ensure that new services proposed by health care providers are needed for quality patient care within a particular region or community. The program prevents unnecessary duplication of services by selecting the best proposal among competing applicants who wish to provide a particular health service.

CON in Florida regulates hospice, skilled nursing, intermediate care for the developmentally disabled, the development of new hospitals and certain hospital services. It does not regulate outpatient services, home health services or the purchase of major medical equipment.

When CON Notification or Review is Required

Health providers requiring a certificate of need for certain types of projects include:

• Hospitals
• Nursing homes
• Hospices
• Intermediate Care Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled
  

CON review covers not only new facility construction but also initiation of specialized hospital services, certain bed conversions, increases in the number of inpatient beds at hospitals and nursing homes, transfers of CONs, and a variety of other projects. Generally, nothing from the CON Office is required for:

• The establishment of an Ambulatory Surgery Center
• The establishment of outpatient adult diagnostic cardiac catheterization services
• Renovations to existing health care facilities that do not involve the addition of beds or services
• The replacement of a rural hospital under very specific conditions as outlined in 395.6025, Florida Statutes
  Note: In all cases listed above, the Division's Hospital and Outpatient Unit and Office of Plans and Construction should be contacted regarding licensure requirements.
• The establishment of an Assisted Living Facility
  Note: The Division's Assisted Living Unit and Office of Plans and Construction should be contacted regarding licensure requirements.

Upon request, the CON Office will determine if a project must be submitted for review.

Making Application

Applicants may obtain CON application forms from:

Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA)
Certificate of Need Office
Ft. Knox Building 1
2727 Mahan Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32308
FAX # (850)-922-6964
 

Download the application (PDF, Microsoft Word and Excel files)

Fees are required for processing applications, based on a $10,000 minimum plus .015 for each dollar of proposed capital expenditure, with the total fee not to exceed $50,000. Fees must be submitted with each application.

Most projects are reviewed on a competitive basis, and a letter of intent must be filed with the Certificate of Need Office at least 30 days before an application is filed. A letter of intent is not required for projects that will be given a non-competitive, expedited review.

The fee for projects identified for review under Section 408.036(3), Florida Statutes which pertains to exemptions, is $250.00.

Any questions regarding whether a project is subject to CON review may be sent to riverak@ahca.myflorida.com or calls made to Karen Rivera at 850-488-8672.

Upcoming CON Review Cycles Deadlines

Hospital Beds and Facilities:

• New Hospital Facilities
• Replacement Facilities
• Acute Care Beds
• NICU Beds
• Psychiatric Beds
• Substance Abuse Beds
• Rehabilitation Beds
• Long Term Care Hospital Beds

1st Batching Cycle - 2007

Summary Need Projections Published in Florida Administrative Weekly	1-26-2007
Letter of Intent Deadline	2-12-2007
Application Deadline	3-14-2007
Completeness Review Deadline	3-21-2007
Application Omissions Deadline	4-18-2007
Agency Initial Decision Deadline	6-15-2007

2nd Batching Cycle - 2007

Summary Need Projections Published in Florida Administrative Weekly	7-27-2007
Letter of Intent Deadline	8-13-2007
Application Deadline	9-12-2007
Completeness Review Deadline	9-19-2007
Application Omissions Deadline	10-17-2007
Agency Initial Decision Deadline	12-14-2007

Other Beds and Programs:

• Open Heart Surgery
• Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization
• Specialty Burn Units
• Organ Transplantation
• Nursing Home Beds *
• Distinct-part Skilled Nursing Unit beds
• Hospice Programs
• Hospice Inpatient Beds
• Intermediate Care Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled
  
  *In 2001, the Florida legislature placed a moratorium on the issuance of certificates of need for additional community nursing home beds until July 1, 2006. This action was taken because the legislature found that the continued growth in the Medicaid budget for nursing home care constrained the ability of the state to meet the needs of its elderly residents through the use of less restrictive and less institutional methods of long-term care.

1st Batching Cycle - 2007

Summary Need Projections Published in Florida Administrative Weekly	4-06-2007
Letter of Intent Deadline	4-23-2007
Application Deadline	5-23-2007
Completeness Review Deadline	5-30-2007
Application Omissions Deadline	6-27-2007
Agency Initial Decision Deadline	8-24-2007

2nd Batching Cycle - 2007

Summary Need Projections Published in Florida Administrative Weekly	10-05-2007
Letter of Intent Deadline	10-22-2007
Application Deadline	11-21-2007
Completeness Review Deadline	11-28-2007
Application Omissions Deadline	12-26-2007
Agency Initial Decision Deadline	2-22-2008