DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC WELFARETobacco Settlement Act 77 Advisory Committee; Public Meeting [31 Pa.B. 6356] The Department of Public Welfare (Department) is announcing the opportunity for public comment to the Advisory Committee, established under the Tobacco Settlement Act 77 of 2001 (Act). Under this Act, the General Assembly established a Hospital Uncompensated Care Program, which compensates hospitals for certain costs of uncompensated care provided by hospitals. Additionally, under section 1103(d) of the Act, the Department was to establish an Advisory Committee, for the purpose of assisting the Department and the Health Care Cost Containment Council in improving the accuracy, consistency and timeliness of the information collected and used to determine payments to hospitals under the Hospital Uncompensated Care Program. The Department is seeking public input for this Advisory Committee. The Department is especially interested in receiving public comments on two areas of concern.
The first issue concerns uniform reporting requirements for hospital charity care expenses, especially in relation to the following:
1. Patient eligibility for other public or private coverage.
2. Income eligibility threshold based on family size.
3. Consideration of other resources available to a patient or responsible party.
4. Patient or responsible party employment status and earning capacity.
5. Other financial obligations of patient or responsible party.
6. Other sources of funds available to the hospital, such as endowments or donations specified for charity care.
The second issue concerns uniform reporting requirements for hospital bad debt expenses. The Department is particularly interested in comments addressing hospitals' collection procedures for unpaid patient responsibility, including deductibles, coinsurance, copayments and noncovered services.
In order to gather comments from all interested parties, the Department will hold a public meeting on Friday, November 30, 2001, 1:30 p.m.-4 p.m. in the Auditorium of the State Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA.
Persons who wish to present comments must schedule a 5-minute time slot by calling (717) 772-6150. The deadline to schedule a speaking slot is November 26, 2001. Bring a written copy of comments to the meeting.
Persons who are unable to attend the meeting, may submit comments in writing to DPW/OMAP, Bureau of Fee-for-Service Programs, P. O. Box 8047, Harrisburg, PA 17120.
Written comments also will be accepted at wwhite@state.pa.us.
Written comments will be accepted until 4 p.m. November 30, 2001.
FEATHER O. HOUSTOUN,
Secretary[Pa.B. Doc. No. 01-2074. Filed for public inspection November 16, 2001, 9:00 a.m.]
