SB 2372 — Mississippi Hospital Sustainability Grant Program; establish and provide eligibility for funds.

Appropriations COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL NO.

2372 (As Sent to Governor) AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI HOSPITAL SUSTAINABILITY GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE PURPOSE OF STRENGTHENING, IMPROVING AND PRESERVING ACCESS TO HOSPITAL CARE SERVICES FOR ALL MISSISSIPPIANS AND IN RECOGNITION OF THE CHALLENGES INCURRED BY HOSPITALS AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC;

TO REQUIREPROVIDE THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TOSHALL ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM;

TO PROVIDE THAT THE FUNDS SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED TO EACH HOSPITAL LICENSED BY THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI EXCEPT FOR HOSPITALS OPERATED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND STATE-OPERATEDHOSPITALS FACILITIESOPERATED THATBY PROVIDETHE ONLYSTATE INPATIENTDEPARTMENT ANDOF OUTPATIENTMENTAL PSYCHIATRICHEALTH; SERVICES;

TO PROVIDE FORCERTAIN THEDISTRIBUTION ELIGIBILITYFORMULAS FOR SPECIFICALLOCATING HOSPITALSTHE ANDFUNDS THEIRAPPROPRIATED CORRESPONDINGFOR THE GRANT PAYMENTPROGRAM; AMOUNTS;

TO SET THE FUND DISTRIBUTION FORMULA THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL USE FOR ALLOCATING REMAINING FUNDS APPROPRIATED FOR THE GRANT PROGRAM;

TO SET CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR RECEIVING A GRANT PAYMENT UNDER THE ACT;

TO REQUIRE EACH HOSPITAL RECEIVING FUNDS FROM THE GRANT PROGRAM TO SUBMIT A REPORT DESCRIBING ITS OVERALL PATIENT CENSUS;

TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO COMPILE SUCH REPORTS AND SUBMIT THE REPORTS TO THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE BY DECEMBER 1, 2023;

(1) There is hereby established the Mississippi Hospital Sustainability Grant Program.Program which shall be administered by the State Department of Health.

(2) In order to measure,strengthen, improve and preserve access to Mississippi hospital care services for all Mississippians and in recognition of the challenges incurred by Mississippi hospitals as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, funds from the Mississippiprogram shall be distributed, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to each hospital licensed by the State of Mississippi, except for hospitals operated by the United States Department of Veterans S.

2372 *SS36/R928CS**SS08/R928SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2 23/SS36/R928CS23/SS08/R928SG PAGE 1 HospitalAffairs Sustainabilityand Grant Program shall be distributed to each hospital licensed by the State of Mississippi except for hospitals operated by the UnitedState States Department of VeteransMental AffairsHealth. and state-operated facilities that provide only inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services.

(3)Licensed Grantspecialty fundshospitals shallthat beare distributedrecognized basedas uponsuch by the followingState formula:Department of Health, except for those excluded under this subsection, are eligible for grants under the program.

(a)(3) EachThe Mississippi-licensed rural hospital that has less than one hundred (100) licensed beds and that is not classified as a critical access hospital that operates an emergency department shall receivedistribute Fivegrants Hundredto Thousandeach Dollarseligible ($500,000.00)hospital tobased defrayupon the costsfollowing offormula: providing emergency department services.

(b)(a) Each Mississippi-licensed rural hospital that has lessfewer than one hundred (100) licensed beds and that is not classified as a critical access hospital that operates an emergency department shall be eligible to receive ThreeSix Hundred FiftyTwenty-five Thousand Dollars ($350,000.00)($625,000.00) to defray the costs of providing emergency department services.

(c)(b) Each Mississippi-licensedrural hospital that operateshas anfewer emergencythan departmentone hundred (100) licensed beds and that hasis greaterclassified thanas onea hundredcritical (100)access licensedhospital bedsthat operates an emergency department shall be eligible to receive OneFive MillionHundred Thousand Dollars ($1,000,000.00).($500,000.00) to defray the costs of providing emergency department services.

(d)(c) Each Mississippi-licensed hospital withthat lessoperates thanan oneemergency hundreddepartment (100)and licensedthat bedshas withmore thethan majorityone ofhundred such(100) licensed beds beingshall dedicatedbe eligible to providingreceive freestandingOne longMillion termDollars acute($1,000,000.00). care, S.

(d) Each hospital with fewer than two hundred (200) licensed beds with the majority of such beds being dedicated to providing specialty services such as women's health services, long-term acute care, rehabilitation or psychiatric services shall be eligible to receive Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00).

S.

2372 *SS36/R928CS**SS08/R928SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 23/SS36/R928CS23/SS08/R928SG PAGE 2 freestanding(e) rehabilitationEach orrural freestandinghospital psychiatricwith servicesfewer than one hundred (100) licensed beds with no emergency department shall be eligible to receive FiveThree Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00).($300,000.00) to defray the costs of providing access to hospital care in rural communities.

(4)(f) In addition to the funds distributedprovided above,in anyparagraphs remaining(a) fundsthrough appropriated(e) for the purposes of this grantsubsection, programeach shallsmall berural distributedhospital onwith afifty pro-rata(50) amountbeds byor dividingless thewhich remainingoperated fundsan byemergency thedepartment numbershall ofbe licensed beds attributable to all Mississippi licensed hospital eligible to receive fundsTwo underHundred thisFifty programThousand andDollars determining($250,000.00) ato dollardefray amount for each bed and then multiplying that dollar amount by the licensedcosts bedof countproviding foraccess eachto hospital andcare distributingin thatrural amountcommunities. to each respective hospital.

(g) In addition to the above,funds distributed in orderparagraphs to(a) receivethrough a(c) grantand payment(e) underthrough (f) of this section,subsection, eachany hospitalremaining mustfunds submitappropriated for the purposes of this grant program shall be distributed to hospitals receiving funds in paragraphs (a) through (c) and (e) through (f) of this subsection on a reportpro describingrata itsamount overallby patientdividing census,the itstotal amount of the remaining funds by the number of licensed beds attributable to all licensed Mississippi hospitals except for licensed beds attributable to hospitals described in paragraph (d) of this subsection and thefor medicallicensed servicesbeds offeredattributable to itshospitals communityoperated (e.g.,by laborthe United States Department of Veterans Affairs and delivery,hospitals intensiveoperated careby units,the emergencyState department,Department psychiatric,of chemicalMental dependency,Health surgery,and neurology,determining orthopedic,a etc.).dollar amount for each bed, and then multiplying that dollar amount by the number of licensed beds of that hospital.

(5) The grant program described herein shall be administered by the Mississippi Department of Health.

In promulgating rules for this grant, the Department shall not place additional qualification requirements on hospitals other than the minimum requirements required under this act.

The Department shall compile the reports provided by the hospitals receiving funds under this program and submit the report to the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker of the House by December 1, 2023.

2372 *SS36/R928CS**SS08/R928SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 23/SS36/R928CS23/SS08/R928SG PAGE 3 SECTION(4) 2.The department shall adopt such reasonable rules as necessary for the administration of the program, but shall not place additional qualification requirements on hospitals other than the minimum requirements in this section.

This(5) actThe Mississippi Hospital Association shall takeform effecta andwork begroup into forcereview fromthe anddelivery afterof Julyhospital 1,services 2023,in Mississippi and shall standmake repealedrecommendations onregarding Junethe 30,changes 2023.needed to sustain access to hospital care to the Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, Chairmen of the House and Senate Public Health Committees with copies to the Governor and the State Health Officer.

SECTION 2.

This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

2372 *SS36/R928CS**SS08/R928SG* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 23/SS36/R928CS23/SS08/R928SG ST: