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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 31, 2013 02:28 PM |
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| From: | Representative Matthew E. Baker |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | DPW budget legislation |
| I am introducing legislation that is part of the Department of Public Welfare’s budget for the FY 2013-2014. This legislation makes several changes to the Public Welfare Code necessary for enactment of the budget. The bill updates the Public Welfare Code section relating to Intermediate Care Facilities for Mentally Retarded Persons by replacing the term “mentally retarded” with the accepted term “intellectual disability.” The Department has made significant strides in eliminating the outdated term “mental retardation” and this change is part of that continuum. The bill also makes changes to the hospital assessment by establishing a procedure for Philadelphia to set a standard assessment for their hospitals. As you know, Act 49 of 2010 was passed by the legislature, which allowed for the creation of a Hospital Quality Care Assessment to be paid by approximately 180 covered facilities in Pennsylvania, which include inpatient acute care general and freestanding rehabilitation hospitals located within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Act 49 was later amended by Act 84 of 2010 and Act 22 of 2011. Revenues from this hospital assessment have been used to update Medical Assistance claims pricing under the fee-for-service system for inpatient hospital services, to establish new or revise existing supplemental or disproportionate share payments and increase reimbursement through HealthChoices Managed Care Plans for inpatient hospital services. Because Philadelphia has many high volume Medicaid hospitals they are in a unique situation. The change to the assessment will allow these hospitals to maximize funding available through the hospital assessment. Finally, the bill extends the assessment for nursing homes to 2016. Since its enactment the nursing home assessment has provided much needed funding for nursing homes. Without this change the nursing home assessment will expire June 30, 2013 and homes will experience a significant shortfall in funding. |
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| View Attachment | ||
Introduced as HB1472