Budget Amendment ID: FY2013-S4-588

EHS 588

Sole Community Provider

Messrs. Wolf and Downing moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting, after section 161, the following new section: -

SECTION XX. Section 1 of chapter 118G of the General Laws, is hereby amended by striking out: -

“sole community provider, any acute hospital which qualifies as a sole community provider under medicare regulations or under regulations promulgated by the division, which regulations shall consider factors including, but not limited to, such as isolated location, weather conditions, travel conditions, percentage of Medicare, Medicaid and free care provided and the absence of other reasonably accessible hospitals in the area. Such hospitals shall include those which are located more than twenty-five miles from other such hospitals in the commonwealth and which provide services for at least sixty percent of their primary service area.

And inserting in place thereof: -

“sole community provider, any acute hospital which qualifies as a sole community provider under Medicare regulations or under regulations promulgated by the executive office, which regulations shall consider factors including, but not limited to, isolated location, weather conditions, travel conditions, percentage of Medicare, Medicaid and free care provided and the absence of other reasonably accessible hospitals in the area; provided, that such hospitals shall include those which are located more than 20 miles driving distance from other such hospitals in the commonwealth and which provide services for at least 60 percent of their primary service area.”