§ 19-358. Operating without license or registration permit

   (a) Operation prohibited. -- A person may not operate a hospital or related institution unless issued a registration permit or licensed by the Secretary.

(b) Classification of hospital as special rehabilitation hospital. -- A hospital may not provide or hold itself out as providing comprehensive physical rehabilitation services, as defined in § 19-1201 of this title, or operate as a special rehabilitation hospital unless the hospital is classified as a special rehabilitation hospital by the Secretary.

(c) Limitation on physical rehabilitation services offered. -- Unless a health care facility is classified as a special rehabilitation hospital by the Secretary, a health care facility may only offer those physical rehabilitation services which are appropriate and necessary to the care, treatment, or support of the acute, chronic disease, or long-term care patient.

(d) Penalties. --

   (1) A person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $ 1,000 for the first offense and not exceeding $ 10,000 for each subsequent conviction for a violation of the same provision. Each day a violation is continued after the first conviction is a subsequent offense.

   (2) The Secretary may impose a civil money penalty not to exceed $ 10,000 for each offense under this section.

HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 43, § 565; 1982, ch. 21, § 2; 1986, ch. 733; 1990, ch. 270; 1993, ch. 100.