Maryland Health - General Section 19-358

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

      (b)      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)      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)      (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.