Senate Bill 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 PROVIDE THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL 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 HOSPITALS OPERATED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN DISTRIBUTION FORMULAS FOR ALLOCATING THE FUNDS APPROPRIATED FOR THE GRANT PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

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

(2) In order to 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 program 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 Affairs and hospitals operated by the State Department of Mental Health. Licensed specialty hospitals that are recognized as such by the State Department of Health, except for those excluded under this subsection, are eligible for grants under the program.

(3) The department shall distribute grants to each eligible hospital based upon the following formula:

(a) Each hospital that has fewer 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 Six Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($625,000.00) to defray the costs of providing emergency department services.

(b) Each rural hospital that has fewer than one hundred (100) licensed beds and that is classified as a critical access hospital that operates an emergency department shall be eligible to receive Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) to defray the costs of providing emergency department services.

(c) Each hospital that operates an emergency department and that has more than one hundred (100) licensed beds shall be eligible to receive One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00).

(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).

(e) Each rural hospital with fewer than one hundred (100) licensed beds with no emergency department shall be eligible to receive Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000.00) to defray the costs of providing access to hospital care in rural communities.

(f) In addition to the funds provided in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this subsection, each small rural hospital with fifty (50) beds or less which operated an emergency department shall be eligible to receive Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) to defray the costs of providing access to hospital care in rural communities.

(g) In addition to the funds distributed in paragraphs (a) through (c) and (e) through (f) of this subsection, any remaining funds appropriated 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 pro rata amount by dividing the total 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 for licensed beds attributable to hospitals operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and hospitals operated by the State Department of Mental Health and determining a dollar amount for each bed, and then multiplying that dollar amount by the number of licensed beds of that hospital.

(4) 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.

(5) The Mississippi Hospital Association shall form a work group to review the delivery of hospital services in Mississippi and shall make recommendations regarding the changes 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.