2571 Establishment of an additional class of disproportionate share payments for burn center services

Establishment of an Additional Class of Disproportionate Share Payments for Burn Center Services

[36 Pa.B. 8018]
[Saturday, December 30, 2006]

   The purpose of this notice is to announce that effective December 31, 2006, the Department of Public Welfare (Department) intends to establish an additional class of disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments for certain qualifying Medical Assistance (MA) enrolled acute care general hospital burn centers (burn centers) to assure readily available and coordinated burn care of the highest quality to the MA population.

   The Department intends to consider a burn center eligible for this additional class of DSH payment, if the burn center meets one of the following criteria:

   1.  Is recognized by the American Burn Association and participates in the American Burn Association's, ''Burn Center Verification Program'' effective July 2006.

   2.  Is certified and accredited as a Level I or Level II Trauma Center by the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation and has a minimum of 70 annual patient admissions in calendar year 2005, of individuals requiring burn care.

   These annual payments to eligible burn centers will be contingent upon annual funding appropriations and will be allocated according to all of the following:

   1.  Fifty percent of the total amount available for eligible burn centers will be allocated equally among eligible burn centers.

   2.  Fifty percent of the total amount available for eligible burn centers will be allocated on the basis of each eligible qualified burn center's percentage of MA and uninsured burn cases and patient days compared to the Statewide total number of MA and uninsured burn cases and patient days for all eligible burn centers. The Department will use each eligible burn center's in-State and out-of-State cases and patient days for this calculation.

   In making these payments, the Department will ensure that no acute care general hospital will receive any DSH payment that is in excess of its hospital-specific DSH upper payment limit and the Commonwealth will not exceed its aggregate annual DSH allotment.

Fiscal Impact

   For Fiscal Year 2006-2007, the fiscal impact as a result of this additional class of DSH payments is $11.002 million in total funds ($5 million in State General funds and $6.002 million in Federal funds).

Public Comment

   Interested persons are invited to submit written comments regarding this notice to Department of Public Welfare, Office of Medical Assistance Programs, c/o Deputy Secretary's Office, Attention: Regulations Coordinator, Room 515, Health and Welfare Building, Harrisburg, PA 17120. Comments received within 30 days will be reviewed and considered for any subsequent revision of the notice.

   Persons with a disability who require an auxiliary aid or service may submit comments using the AT&T Relay Service at [phone] (TDD users) or [phone] (voice users).

ESTELLE B. RICHMAN,   
Secretary

   Fiscal Note:  14-NOT-495. (1) General Fund; (2) Implementing Year 2006-07 is $5,000,000; (3) 1st Succeeding Year 2007-08 is $0; 2nd Succeeding Year 2008-09 is $0; 3rd Succeeding Year 2009-10 is $0; 4th Succeeding Year 2010-11 is $0; 5th Succeeding Year 2011-12 is $0; (4) 2005-06 Program--$0; 2004-05 Program--$0; 2003-04 Program--$0; (7) Hospital Based Burn Centers; (8) recommends adoption. Funds have been included in the budget to cover this increase.

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 06-2571. Filed for public inspection December 29, 2006, 9:00 a.m.]