§ 7-41-6 — Health care facility fund; disability health care facility fund

A. The "health care facility fund" and the "disability health care facility fund" are created in the state treasury. The funds consist of appropriations, distributions, transfers, gifts, grants, donations and bequests made to the funds and income from the investment of the funds. The funds shall be administered by the human services department [health care authority department], and money in the funds is subject to appropriation by the legislature to the human services department [health care authority department] to carry out the purposes provided in this section. Money in the funds shall be disbursed on warrants signed by the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the secretary of human services or the secretary's authorized representative. Any balance remaining in the funds at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund. B. At least eighty percent of the money in the health care facility fund shall be used for the following purposes and in the following order of priority for skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities: (1) to increase per diem rates to those facilities for the medicaid share of the health care quality surcharge as a pass-through, medicaid-allowable cost; (2) to annually increase, on a per diem basis, as provided by rule promulgated by the human services department [health care authority department], each facility's respective medicaid fee-for-service and medicaid managed care reimbursement rates above those in effect upon the effective date of the Health Care Quality Surcharge Act and in subsequent years thereafter by at least the rate of nursing home inflation for the rate year as published on behalf of the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services; and (3) to provide financial incentives in the form of supplemental payments, paid no less frequently than quarterly, based upon performance data to improve the quality of skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities. C. The disability health care facility fund shall be used for the following purposes and in the following order of priority for intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities: (1) to increase per diem rates to those facilities for the medicaid share of the health care quality surcharge as a pass-through, medicaid-allowable cost; and (2) to increase each facility's respective medicaid fee-for-service reimbursement rates above those in effect on the effective date of the Health Care Quality Surcharge Act. D. No more than twenty percent of the money in the health care facility fund may be used by the human services department [health care authority department] to administer the state medicaid program for purposes other than those provided in Subsection B of this section. E. The initial health care quality surcharge payment by health care facilities for the first calendar quarter ending after the effective date of the Health Care Quality Surcharge Act shall be made twenty-five days after the date the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services approve the authorization sought by the secretary of human services pursuant to Section 11 of this 2019 act. F. The initial quarterly supplemental payments to health care facilities made pursuant to Subsection B of this section for the first calendar quarter ending after the effective date of the Health Care Quality Surcharge Act shall be made thirty days after the date the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services approve the authorization sought by the secretary of human services pursuant to Section 11 of this 2019 act. The initial per diem payments to health care facilities made pursuant to Subsections B and C of this section shall be made thirty days after the date the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services approve the authorization sought by the secretary of human services pursuant to Section 11 of this 2019 act. G. Subsequent health care quality surcharge payments by health care facilities will be made twenty-five days after the end of each calendar quarter for that calendar quarter. Subsequent supplemental payments made to health care facilities pursuant to Subsection B of this section shall be made thirty days after the end of each calendar quarter for that calendar quarter.

Legislative History

Laws 2019, ch. 53, § 6.