SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1682        FILED ON: 1/21/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 533

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Richard T. Moore

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to equitable funding for the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1682        FILED ON: 1/21/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 533

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 556 OF 2009-2010.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

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An Act relative to equitable funding for the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

                SECTION 1:  Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the annual assessment that is applied to each acute care hospital to fund the operations of the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy, pursuant to section 5 of Chapter 118G of the General laws shall not exceed each hospital's total annual amount that was assessed and collected by the Division in state fiscal year 2011. 

                SECTION 2:  The Executive Office of Health and Human Services shall prepare a report which sets forth recommendations for the establishment of new funding options to support the operations of the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy, pursuant to section 5 of chapter 118G of the General Laws.  The recommendations shall take into consideration the expanded role, responsibility and scope of work undertaken by the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy since the development of the current formula. The report shall include a specific recommendation (i) for reducing the expenses of the Division through added economies and efficiencies of operation and elimination of lower priority functions and activities, and (ii) for funding sources that more accurately reflects the current role of the Division and minimizes the expense to the hospital community. The Executive Office of Health and Human Services shall be directed to deliver its report and recommendations to the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means and the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing by December 1, 2011.