Inpatient Hospital Services [31 Pa.B. 2853] The purpose of this announcement is to provide prior notice of the Department of Public Welfare's (Department) intent to revise its payment method for inpatient hospital services effective July 1, 2001. These revisions would affect acute care general hospitals, private psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric units of general hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals and rehabilitation units of general hospitals.
The Department will negotiate, with representatives of the hospital industry, the possibility of renewing the existing Hospital Payment Rate Agreement (Agreement), which governs the payment methods and standards applicable to hospitals participating in the Medical Assistance Fee-for-Service Program. The Agreement was effective July 1, 1999, and will expire on June 30, 2001, with regard to disproportionate share and medical education payments. The payment rates under the Agreement are in effect through December 31, 2001. If a revised Agreement is adopted by and between the Department and participating hospitals, the Department expects the payment provisions to be generally similar to those set forth in the current Agreement.
During this period of negotiations, the Department proposes to maintain the disproportionate share and direct medical education payments at the level in effect on June 30, 2001. These payment rates will remain at June 30, 2001, level through December 31, 2001.
Fiscal Impact
The necessary funding required to continue the current payment provisions has been provided for in the Department's Fiscal Year 2001-02 Budget Request. Any additional funding resulting from a revised payment method would need to be limited to the amount of funding appropriated by the General Assembly.
Contact Person
A copy of this notice is available for review at local county assistance offices. Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to this notice within 30 days of this publication. These comments should be sent to the 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.
Persons with a disability may use the AT&T Relay Service by calling (800) 654-5984 (TDD Users) or (800) 654-5988 (Voice Users). Persons who require an alternate format should contact Thomas Vracarich in the Office of Legal Counsel at (717) 783-2209.
FEATHER O. HOUSTOUN,
SecretaryFiscal Note: 14-NOT-291. No fiscal impact; (8) recommends adoption.
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 01-962. Filed for public inspection June 1, 2001, 9:00 a.m.]
