HOUSE BILL 356

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013

INTRODUCED BY

William "Bill" R. Rehm

AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE; REQUIRING THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HOSPITAL TO REPORT ANNUALLY REGARDING INDIGENT AND OTHER CARE IT PROVIDES; REQUIRING THE HOSPITAL TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON ITS USE AND DISPOSITION OF MILL LEVY AND GROSS RECEIPTS TAX FUNDS FOR INDIGENT CARE FUNDS RECEIVED FROM BERNALILLO COUNTY; REQUIRING REPORTING OF OTHER INFORMATION TO THE BERNALILLO COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. REPORTING OF INDIGENT AND OTHER CARE PROVIDED--REPORTING USE AND DISPOSITION OF INDIGENT FUNDS RECEIVED FROM BERNALILLO COUNTY--REPORTING OF OTHER INFORMATION TO BERNALILLO COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.--

          A. As used in this section:

                (1) "aggregate data" means data that are obtained by combining like data elements in a manner that precludes specific identification of a single patient or provider;

                (2) "cost" means all allowable costs of providing health care services for an indigent patient. Allowable costs shall be based on medicaid fee-for-service reimbursement rates for hospitals, licensed medical doctors, osteopathic physicians and other health care professionals;

                (3) "county board" means the Bernalillo county board of county commissioners;

                (4) "hospital" means the university of New Mexico hospital and related parties that provide indigent care paid for in whole or in part by mill levy funds or funds from gross receipts tax for indigent care from Bernalillo county or by any other funding source;

                (5) "indigent care" means health care provided by the hospital that has been classified as indigent care by the hospital and that has been paid for in whole or in part by mill levy funds or funds from gross receipts tax for indigent care from Bernalillo county or by any other funding source;

                (6) "indigent patient" means a person to whom the hospital has provided health care that has been classified as indigent care by the hospital and whose health care has been paid for in whole or in part by mill levy funds or funds from gross receipts tax for indigent care from Bernalillo county or from any other funding source;

                (7) "mental health center" means the university of New Mexico mental health center; and

                (8) "related party" means an affiliate of the hospital or of the university of New Mexico.

          B. Within ninety days after the end of each fiscal year, the hospital shall report on its provision of indigent and other care, on its receipt and use of mill levy funds and of funds from gross receipts tax for indigent care from Bernalillo county and other information required under this subsection to the county board. The hospital shall report the following for each fiscal year:

                (1) aggregate data showing the total number of patients who received health care from the hospital, with corresponding demographic information, including sex, race or ethnicity, age and county of residence;

                (2) aggregate data showing the total number of patients who received indigent care from the hospital, with corresponding demographic information, including sex, race or ethnicity, age and county of residence;

                (3) the amount of mill levy revenue received;

                (4) the amount of mill levy revenue spent on the operation and maintenance of the mental health center;

                (5) the amount of mill levy revenue spent on behavioral health and substance abuse treatment services offered by the hospital and the mental health center;

                (6) an itemization of uses, with corresponding amounts, to which funding to a program to improve access for the underserved during the term of the 2008 mill levy was allocated;

                (7) the criteria or basis upon which the hospital determines whether a patient is eligible for indigent care;

                (8) the total cost of indigent care provided by the hospital to patients;

                (9) a breakdown of services, with corresponding amounts, provided by the hospital to indigent patients;

                (10) restrictions on services provided by the hospital to indigent patients;

                (11) bad debt expense;

                (12) conditions for reimbursement of a related party or of other non-hospital providers of health care, such as employed physician groups, that provide indigent care paid for by Bernalillo county through its mill levy funds or funds from gross receipts tax for indigent care or by any other funding source;

                (13) a list of all revenue sources, with corresponding amounts, used to pay for indigent health care;

                (14) a copy of the hospital's financial assistance policy and application forms for patients seeking financial assistance;

                (15) a copy of the hospital's collections policy;

                (16) an accounting of any amounts recovered by the hospital from whatever source to reimburse the hospital for indigent care it has provided;

                (17) the percentage of gross revenue attributable to reimbursement from medicare;

                (18) the percentage of total patients who were medicare eligible;

                (19) the percentage of gross revenue attributable to reimbursement from medicaid;

                (20) the percentage of total patients who were medicaid eligible;

                (21) accounting policies for bad debt and indigent care;

                (22) disclosure of any related party transactions involving mill levy or gross receipts tax funds for indigent care;

                (23) profit and loss from the investment of Bernalillo county mill levy or gross receipts tax funds for indigent care;

                (24) days cash on hand;

                (25) net days in accounts receivable;

                (26) percentage of accounts receivable over ninety days old;

                (27) bad debts as a percentage of gross revenues;

                (28) indigent care as a percentage of gross revenues;

                (29) the year-end balance of any reserve or investment account in which any unexpended mill levy funds or funds from gross receipts tax for indigent care are deposited;

                (30) the expense growth rate; and

                (31) any other information requested by the county board.

          C. Within one hundred eighty days following the end of the hospital's fiscal year, the hospital shall provide the county board with an independently audited unconsolidated financial statement.

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