Hospital Assessment Fund Established

TITLE 56 PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND WELFARE CHAPTER 14 IDAHO HOSPITAL ASSESSMENT ACT 56-1403. Hospital assessment fund established. (1) There is hereby created in the office of the state treasurer a dedicated fund to be known as the hospital assessment fund, hereinafter "fund," to be administered by the department of health and welfare, hereinafter "department." The state treasurer shall invest idle moneys in the fund and any interest received on those investments shall be returned to the fund. All moneys in the fund are continuously appropriated to the department for the purposes specified in this chapter. (2)  Moneys in the fund shall consist of: (a)  All moneys collected or received by the department from private hospital assessments required by this chapter; (b)  All federal matching funds received by the department as a result of expenditures made by the department that are attributable to moneys deposited in the fund; (c)  Any interest or penalties levied in conjunction with the administration of this chapter; and (d)  Any appropriations, federal funds, donations, gifts or moneys from any other sources. (3)  The fund is created for the purpose of receiving moneys in accordance with this section and section 56-1404 , Idaho Code. Moneys in the fund shall be distributed by the department for the following purposes only: (a)  Payments to private hospitals as required under Idaho’s medical assistance program as set forth in sections 56-209b and 56-209c , Idaho Code; (b)  Reimbursement of moneys collected by the department from private hospitals through error or mistake in performing the activities authorized under Idaho’s medical assistance program; (c)  Payments of administrative expenses incurred by the department or its agent in performing the activities authorized by this chapter; (d)  Payments made to the federal government to repay excess payments made to private hospitals from the fund if the assessment plan is deemed out of compliance and after the state has appealed the findings. Hospitals shall refund the payments in question to the assessment fund. The state in turn shall return funds to both the federal government and hospital providers in the same proportion as the original financing. Individual hospitals shall be reimbursed based on the proportion of the individual hospital’s assessment to the total assessment paid by all private hospitals. If a hospital is unable to refund payments, the state shall develop a payment plan and deduct moneys from future medicaid payments; (e)  Transfers to any other fund in the state treasury, provided such transfers shall not exceed the amount transferred previously from that other fund into the hospital assessment fund; and (f)  Offsetting general funding needed to support Idaho medicaid.