Home Table of Contents

§ 19-214. Recommendations regarding uncompensated care

West's Annotated Code of MarylandHealth--GeneralEffective: July 1, 2020

West's Annotated Code of Maryland
Health--General
Title 19. Health Care Facilities (Refs & Annos)
Subtitle 2. Health Services Cost Review Commission (Refs & Annos)
Part II. Health Care Facility Rate Setting
Effective: July 1, 2020
MD Code, Health - General, § 19-214
§ 19-214. Recommendations regarding uncompensated care
Currentness
<Section effective upon occurrence of contingency specified in Acts 2008, c. 244, § 4, and Acts 2008, c. 245, § 4. See, also, § 19-214 effective until occurrence of contingency specified in Acts 2008, c. 244, § 4, and Acts 2008, c. 245, § 4.>
In general
(a) The Commission shall assess the underlying causes of hospital uncompensated care and make recommendations to the General Assembly on the most appropriate alternatives to:
(1) Reduce uncompensated care; and
(2) Assure the integrity of the payment system.
Regulations
(b) The Commission may adopt regulations establishing alternative methods for financing the reasonable total costs of hospital uncompensated care and the disproportionate share hospital payment provided that the alternative methods:
(1) Are in the public interest;
(2) Will equitably distribute the reasonable costs of uncompensated care and the disproportionate share hospital payment;
(3) Will fairly determine the cost of reasonable uncompensated care and the disproportionate share hospital payment included in hospital rates;
(4) Will continue incentives for hospitals to adopt fair, efficient, and effective credit and collection policies; and
(5) Will not result in significantly increasing costs to Medicare or termination of the all-payer model contract.
Use of funds
(c) Any funds generated through hospital rates under an alternative method adopted by the Commission in accordance with subsection (b) of this section may only be used to finance the delivery of hospital uncompensated care and the disproportionate share hospital payment.
Assessment of rates
(d)(1) Each year, the Commission shall assess a uniform, broad-based, and reasonable amount in hospital rates to reflect the aggregate reduction in hospital uncompensated care realized from the expansion of health care coverage under Chapter 7 of the Acts of the 2007 Special Session of the General Assembly.
(2)(i) 1. The Commission shall ensure that the assessment amount equals 1.25% of projected regulated net patient revenue.
2. Each hospital shall remit its assessment amount to the Health Care Coverage Fund established under § 15-701 of this article.
(ii) Any savings realized in averted uncompensated care as a result of the expansion of health care coverage under Chapter 7 of the Acts of the 2007 Special Session of the General Assembly that are not subject to the assessment under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be shared among purchasers of hospital services in a manner that the Commission determines is most equitable.
(3)(i) Funds generated from the assessment under this subsection may be used only to supplement coverage under the Medical Assistance Program beyond the eligibility requirements in existence on January 1, 2008.
(ii) Any funds remaining after the expenditure of funds under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph has been made may be used for the general operations of the Medicaid program.

Credits

Added as Health-General § 19-207.3 by Acts 1992, c. 375, § 1, eff. June 1, 1992. Renumbered as Health-General § 19-214 and amended by Acts 1999, c. 702, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 1999. Amended by Acts 2007, 1st Sp. Sess., c. 7, § 1, eff. Nov. 19, 2007; Acts 2008, c. 36, § 6, eff. April 8, 2008; Acts 2008, c. 244, § 1, eff. July 1, 2008; Acts 2008, c. 245, § 1, eff. July 1, 2008; Acts 2009, c. 487, § 1, eff. June 1, 2009; Acts 2009, c. 310, § 1, eff. June 1, 2009; Acts 2009, c. 311, § 1, eff. June 1, 2009; Acts 2010, c. 72, § 1, eff. April 13, 2010; Acts 2011, c. 397, § 1, eff. June 1, 2011; Acts 2012, 1st Sp. Sess., c. 1, § 1, eff. June 1, 2012; Acts 2013, c. 159, § 2, eff. June 1, 2013; Acts 2014, c. 263, § 1, eff. July 1, 2014; Acts 2014, c. 464, § 3, eff. Oct. 1, 2014; Acts 2016, c. 321, § 3, eff. July 1, 2016; Acts 2019, c. 6, § 1, eff. June 1, 2019; Acts 2020, c. 505, § 1, eff. July 1, 2020.
MD Code, Health - General, § 19-214, MD HEALTH GEN § 19-214
Current through legislation effective through June 1, 2024, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
End of Document