Payments to promote closing or conversion of underutilized hospital facilities

Any hospital may file an application with the Secretary (in such form and including such data and information as the Secretary may require) for establishment of a transitional allowance under this subchapter with respect to the closing or conversion of an underutilized hospital facility. The Secretary also may establish procedures, consistent with this section, by which a hospital, before undergoing an actual closure or conversion of a hospital facility, can have a determination made as to whether or not it will be eligible for a transitional allowance under this section with respect to such closure or conversion. If the Secretary finds, after consideration of an application under subsection (a), that— the hospital’s closure or conversion— in the case of a complete closure of a hospital— Each transitional allowance established shall be reasonably related to the prior or pro­spective use of the facility involved under this subchapter and shall recognize— in the case of a facility conversion or closure (other than a complete closure of a hospital)— A hospital dissatisfied with a determination of the Secretary on its application under this section may obtain an informal or formal hearing, at the discretion of the Secretary, by filing (in such form and within such time period as the Secretary establishes) a request for such a hearing. The Secretary shall make a final determination on such application within 30 days after the last day of such hearing.