Hospitals; allow rural hospitals to join together to allow further purchasing power with third-party payors but retain their independence

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 4 of Chapter 7 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to county and municipal hospital authorities, so as to allow rural hospitals to join together to allow further purchasing power with third-party payors but retain their independence; to provide for legislative findings and intentions; to provide for the application doctrine developed in federal antitrust jurisprudence; to provide for construction; to provide for immunity; to provide for collaboration; to provide for joint negotiations with third-party payors; to provide for best practices; to provide for shared staffing; to provide for certain immunity; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.