NOTICES

DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC WELFARE

Changes to an Additional Class of Disproportionate Share Payments

[39 Pa.B. 746]
[Saturday, February 7, 2009]

   The purpose of this notice is to announce the Department of Public Welfare's (Department) intent to increase the allocation for disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments to certain qualifying Medical Assistance (MA) enrolled hospitals that advance the Department's goal of enhanced access to multiple types of medical care in economically distressed areas of this Commonwealth. There will be no change in the current qualifying criteria or methodology for determining eligibility for this additional class of DSH payments.

   The State General funds allocated for these annual payments will be increased to $7.848 million. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2008-2009 only, the Department will provide an additional $4 million in State General funds for these payments.

   The Department will continue dividing payments proportionally between qualifying hospitals based on the percentages of a qualifying hospital's MA inpatient days to the total MA inpatient days of all qualifying hospitals. In making these payments, the Department will continue to ensure that no acute care general hospital will receive a 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

   The FY 2008-2009 fiscal impact related to this increase is $13.162 million ($5.986 million in State funds). The $4.000 million payment of State General Funds will be treated as a one-time payment. The $1.986 million payment of State General Funds will be on-going.

Public Comment

   Interested persons are invited to submit written comments regarding this notice to the Department at the following address Department of Public Welfare, Office of Medical Assistance Programs, c/o Regulations Coordinator, Room 515, Health and Welfare Building, Harrisburg, PA 17120. Comments received within 30 days will be reviewed and considered for potential revision of the proposed standards and methods for payment.

   Persons with a disability who require an auxiliary aid or service may submit comments using the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 (TDD users) or (800) 654-5988 (voice users).

ESTELLE B. RICHMAN,   
Secretary

   Fiscal Note: 14-NOT-578. (1) General Fund:

		MA-Inpatient
(2)	Implementing Year 2008-09 is	$1.986M
(3)	1st Succeeding Year 2009-10 is	$1.986M
	2nd Succeeding Year 2010-11 is	$1.986M
	3rd Succeeding Year 2011-12 is	$1.986M
	4th Succeeding Year 2012-13 is	$1.986M
	5th Succeeding Year 2013-14 is	$1.986M
		Acute Care Hospitals
	Implementing Year 2008-09 is	$4M
	1st Succeeding Year 2009-10 is	$0M
	2nd Succeeding Year 2010-11 is	$0M
	3rd Succeeding Year 2011-12 is	$0M
	4th Succeeding Year 2012-13 is	$0M
	5th Succeeding Year 2013-14 is	$0M
		MA-Inpatient
(4)	2007-08 Program--	$468.589M
	2006-07 Program--	$513.020M
	2005-06 Program--	$474.693M
		Acute Care Hospitals
	2007-08 Program--	$21.175M
	2006-07 Program--	$14.500M
	2005-06 Program--	$10.800M

   (7)  Medical Assistance (MA)--Inpatient and Acute Care Hospitals; (8) recommends adoption. Funds have been included in the budget to cover this increase.

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 09-221. Filed for public inspection February 6, 2009, 9:00 a.m.]

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