Senate Bill 2697

(As Passed the Senate)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 41-14-31, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXTEND THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2024, THE EXPENDITURE PERIOD FOR REIMBURSEMENT TO HOSPITALS THAT INCREASED TREATMENT CAPACITY RELATED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 41-14-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

41-14-31. (1) The Mississippi Department of Health shall establish and administer the Covid-19 Hospital Expanded Capacity Program for the purpose of providing funds to hospitals that increased treatment capacity related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program shall make grants to hospitals as a reimbursement for expenses incurred during the period beginning on March 3, 2021, through December 31, * * * ~~2023~~ 2024, in the following manner:

(a) Funds shall first be expended for the reimbursement to hospitals for the creation of ICU beds at a maximum amount of Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00) per bed. If the reimbursement for allowable expenditures submitted by all hospitals exceeds the amount of funds appropriated to this program, then the Department of Health shall allocate the reimbursement to each hospital per ICU bed created.

(b) After such reimbursement is made in paragraph (a) of this subsection, any remaining funds shall be used to reimburse hospitals for the creation of negative pressure beds at a maximum amount of Fifty Thousand dollars ($50,000.00) per bed. If the reimbursement for allowable expenditures submitted by all hospitals exceeds the amount of funds appropriated to this program, then the Department of Health shall allocate the reimbursement to each hospital per negative pressure bed created.

(2) The Department of Health shall:

(a) Promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement the purposes of this act.

(b) Require all applications for grants to be filed no later than December 31, 2023.

(c) Require recipients of funds under this program to certify that the reimbursement for the creation of the intensive care units or negative pressure room is for allowable expenditures under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021, Public Law 117-2, which amends Title VI of the Social Security Act; and its implementing guidelines, guidance, rules, regulations and/or other criteria, as may be amended or supplemented from time to time, by the United States Department of the Treasury.

(d) Certify to the Department of Finance and Administration that each expenditure of the funds appropriated to the office under this act is in compliance with the guidelines, guidance, rules, regulations and/or other criteria, as may be amended from time to time, of the United States Department of the Treasury regarding the use of monies from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund in Section 9901 of ARPA.

(3) The department shall not:

(a) Reimburse hospitals for funds expended by the "Mississippi ICU Infrastructure Act," Sections 41-14-1 through 41-14-11.

(b) Reimburse hospitals for professional fees expended in the creation of the beds.

(4) The Department of Health may retain up to One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00) of the funds appropriated to the program established in this act to pay reasonable expenses incurred in the administration of the program.

(5) The department shall operate and administer the grant program from funds appropriated by the Legislature from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Funds.

(6) The Department of Health shall submit to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee before October 1 of each year an annual report containing, at a minimum, the number of submitted applications, the amount of grant funds awarded to each hospital for both ICU beds and negative pressure beds, and the number of ICU beds and negative pressure beds that were provided a reimbursement.

(7) This act shall stand repealed on July 1, 2026.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.