HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3165        FILED ON: 1/18/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1011

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Tackey Chan

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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 to reduce liability of acute hospitals to Health Safety Net Trust Fund.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3165        FILED ON: 1/18/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1011

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act to reduce liability of acute hospitals to Health Safety Net Trust Fund.

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

Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law or regulation to the contrary:

A.Section 65 of Chapter 118E, as added by Section 131 of Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012, shall be amended as follows:

Strike Subsection b(1) and replace with the following:  “to administer the Health Safety Net Trust Fund, established under section 66, and to require payments to the fund consistent with surcharge payors’ liability to the fund , as determined under section 68, and any further regulations promulgated by the office;”

B.Section 66 of Chapter 118E, as added by Section 131 of Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012, shall be amended as follows:

Strike the first phrase in subsection b and replace with the following: “The fund shall consist of all amounts paid by surcharge payors under section 68;”

Strike “$160,000,000” in subsection b(1) and replace with “$320,000,000”.

C.Section 67 of Chapter 118E, as added by Section 131 of Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012, is hereby repealed in its entirety, effective October 1, 2013.

D.Section 68 of Chapter 118E, as added by Section 131 of Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012, shall be amended as follows:

In subsection a, strike “$160,000,000”  and replace with “$320,000,000”; strike “150,000,000” and replace with “$300,000,000”; and strike “$170,000,000”  and replace with “$340,000,000”.

E.Section 69 of Chapter 118E, as added by Section 131 of Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012, shall be amended by striking the last sentence of subsection (b) and replacing it with the following two sentences: 

“If a shortfall in revenue exists in any fund fiscal year to cover projected costs for reimbursement of health services, the office shall allocate the financial responsibility for such shortfall among the surcharge payors in proportion to each surcharge payor’s required surcharge payments in that fund fiscal year.  The office may promulgate regulations consistent with this provision.”