Bill > LB945

This bill amends the Hospital Quality Assurance and Access Assessment Act by changing how funds from the Hospital Quality Assurance and Access Assessment Fund are used. The fund, which is created to enhance rates paid to hospitals under the medical assistance program (a government healthcare program for low-income individuals), will now have specific allocations. These include reimbursing the General Fund, providing an administrative fee to the department for collecting assessments and managing payment programs, allocating a portion to the Nebraska Center for Nursing Board for expanding clinical nursing training, and dedicating funds for rates for non-hospital providers, continuous eligibility for children, and a designated health information exchange. The bill also clarifies that any remaining assessment proceeds and federal matching funds not used for these specific purposes will be used to increase rates for hospital inpatient and outpatient services. Additionally, it includes provisions to prevent Medicaid managed care organizations from negatively impacting directed payments to hospitals and prohibits hospitals from directly passing assessment costs to patients or non-Medicaid payers.

Health and Social Services

https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=63344