SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2199        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 675

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Julian Cyr

_________________

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 establishing a community health center transition fund.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Julian Cyr

Cape and Islands

 

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

1/23/2019

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

1/29/2019

Christina A. Minicucci

14th Essex

1/29/2019

Joanne M. Comerford

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

1/29/2019

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

1/29/2019

Daniel M. Donahue

16th Worcester

1/29/2019

William N. Brownsberger

Second Suffolk and Middlesex

1/29/2019

Michael J. Barrett

Third Middlesex

1/30/2019

Sarah K. Peake

4th Barnstable

1/30/2019

Diana DiZoglio

First Essex

1/30/2019

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

1/30/2019

Adam G. Hinds

Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden

1/30/2019

Steven Ultrino

33rd Middlesex

1/30/2019

Edward J. Kennedy

First Middlesex

1/30/2019

Marcos A. Devers

16th Essex

1/30/2019

Cindy F. Friedman

Fourth Middlesex

1/31/2019

Michael D. Brady

Second Plymouth and Bristol

1/31/2019

John F. Keenan

Norfolk and Plymouth

2/1/2019

Barry R. Finegold

Second Essex and Middlesex

2/1/2019

David T. Vieira

3rd Barnstable

2/1/2019

Walter F. Timilty

Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth

2/1/2019

Brendan P. Crighton

Third Essex

2/1/2019

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

2/12/2019

Joan Meschino

3rd Plymouth

2/28/2019

Marc R. Pacheco

First Plymouth and Bristol

5/6/2019

Joseph A. Boncore

First Suffolk and Middlesex

5/6/2019

Michael O. Moore

Second Worcester

5/6/2019


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2199        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 675

By Mr. Cyr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 675) of Julian Cyr, Jason M. Lewis, Thomas M. Stanley, Christina A. Minicucci and other members of the General Court for legislation to establish a community health center transition fund.  Health Care Financing.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act establishing a community health center transition fund.

 

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. Chapter 29 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting section 2WWWW after section 2VVVV: 

(a) For the purposes of this section, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the following words shall have the following meanings:

“Community health center”, any community health center in the Commonwealth receiving a grant under 42 U.S.C section 254(b).

“Financial need”, shall be demonstrated by, but not limited to, evidence of any of the following criteria: (i) negative operating margins, (ii) insufficient cash flow or cash-on-hand, (iii) uncertain ability to cover long-term obligations, (iv) potential for loss, reduction, or full closure of critical community services, (v) a public payer mix of 63% or higher including uninsured individuals or individuals whose care may in whole or in part be subsidized by the Health Safety Net or the Health Connector, (vi) a substantial proportion of patients requiring additional services to meet unique cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic needs, (vii) limited access to capital finance for essential health center services and operations; or (viii) inability to adequately meet staffing needs due to salary constraints and other issues regarding workforce recruitment and retention.

(a) There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund, to be known as the Community Health Center Transformation Fund. It shall be expended at the direction of the secretary of the executive office of health and human services.

(b) The secretary shall expend not less than $15,000,000 annually from the Community Health Center Transformation Fund to community health centers based upon their demonstrated financial need.

(c) The secretary may require as a condition of receiving payment from the fund that an eligible community health center agrees to an independent financial and operational audit to recommend steps to increase the sustainability and efficiency of the community health center.

(d) The executive office of health and human services shall promulgate regulations necessary to carry out this section.