HB 285

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to the Medicaid low-income pool and
3	disproportionate share program; amending s. 409.911, F.S.;
4	repealing the Low-Income Pool Council; requiring that the
5	Agency for Health Care Administration make recommendations
6	to the Legislature regarding the financing and
7	distribution of low-income pool and disproportionate share
8	funds; requiring the agency to submit recommendations to
9	the Governor and the Legislature annually; providing an
10	effective date.
11
12	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14	Section 1.  Subsection (9) of section 409.911, Florida
15	Statutes, is amended to read:
16	409.911  Disproportionate share program.--Subject to
17	specific allocations established within the General
18	Appropriations Act and any limitations established pursuant to
19	chapter 216, the agency shall distribute, pursuant to this
20	section, moneys to hospitals providing a disproportionate share
21	of Medicaid or charity care services by making quarterly
22	Medicaid payments as required. Notwithstanding the provisions of
23	s. 409.915, counties are exempt from contributing toward the
24	cost of this special reimbursement for hospitals serving a
25	disproportionate share of low-income patients.
26	(9)  The Agency for Health Care Administration shall create
27	a Medicaid Low-Income Pool Council by July 1, 2006. The Low-
28	Income Pool Council shall consist of 17 members, including 3
29	representatives of statutory teaching hospitals, 3
30	representatives of public hospitals, 3 representatives of
31	nonprofit hospitals, 3 representatives of for-profit hospitals,
32	2 representatives of rural hospitals, 2 representatives of units
33	of local government which contribute funding, and 1
34	representative of family practice teaching hospitals. The
35	council shall:
36	(a)  make recommendations to the Legislature on the
37	financing of the low-income pool and the disproportionate share
38	hospital program and the distribution of their funds to
39	hospitals on the basis of objective and equitable criteria that
40	include consideration of the amount of Medicaid, charity, and
41	uncompensated care provided by hospitals. The agency shall
42	submit its recommendations to the Governor, the President of the
43	Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives no later
44	than February 1 of each year.
45	(b)  Advise the Agency for Health Care Administration on
46	the development of the low-income pool plan required by the
47	federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services pursuant to
48	the Medicaid reform waiver.
49	(c)  Advise the Agency for Health Care Administration on
50	the distribution of hospital funds used to adjust inpatient
51	hospital rates, rebase rates, or otherwise exempt hospitals from
52	reimbursement limits as financed by intergovernmental transfers.
53	(d)  Submit its findings and recommendations to the
54	Governor and the Legislature no later than February 1 of each
55	year.
56	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.