Bill > S616

This bill aims to bolster the Health Safety Net Trust Fund by increasing its revenue and decreasing its shortfall. To achieve this, the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) is directed to update existing regulations concerning Health Safety Net Payments and Funding. A key provision is the creation of a new "Large Physician Organizations Assessment," which will impose a $20 million annual financial obligation on independent physician groups with over 500 members. An independent physician organization is defined as a practice owned and controlled by its practitioners. However, these organizations will be exempt from this assessment if at least 15% of their total billed charges for services covered by the state's Medicaid program (administered by the Office of Medicaid) are for those specific Medicaid reimbursements. Furthermore, the bill ensures that these large physician organizations contributing to the fund will be reimbursed for uncompensated care in a way that aligns with how hospitals and community health centers are paid under current regulations, the Massachusetts Section 1115 Demonstration Waiver for safety net care, or any other federal payment limits.