Section 19-358 - Operating without license or registration permit. - Maryland Statutes

§ 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. 
 

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