71-20,109.

Review of application; department; considerations.

In making a decision whether to approve or disapprove an application, the department shall consider:

(1) Whether sufficient safeguards are included to assure the affected community continued access to affordable care;

(2) Whether the purchaser and parties to the acquisition have made a commitment to provide health care to the disadvantaged, the uninsured, and the underinsured and to provide benefits to the affected community to promote improved health care. Activities and funding provided by the seller or its successor nonprofit corporation or foundation to provide such health care may be considered in evaluating compliance with this commitment; and

(3) If health care providers will be offered the opportunity to invest or own an interest in the purchaser or a related entity to the purchaser, whether procedures or safeguards are in place to avoid conflict of interest in patient referral and the nature of such procedures or safeguards.

This section does not apply higher standards to hospitals covered by the Nonprofit Hospital Sale Act than those applicable to hospitals not covered by the act.