HI HB1368

Amends the definition of "private hospital" to raise the charitable hospital threshold from 40% to 50% of net patient revenue coming from non-insurance sources for exemption purposes.

Increases hospital sustainability fee caps from 5.5% to 6% of net patient service revenue for inpatient, outpatient, and aggregate fees.

Requires the Department of Human Services to conduct good faith consultation and negotiations with the hospital trade association when determining fee rates and modifying facility assessments.

Removes sunset dates from Act 217 (SLH 2012) and Act 123 (SLH 2014), making the hospital sustainability program permanent and permanently exempting it from central service and administrative expense assessments.

Clarifies that the hospital sustainability fee collection shall be discontinued only under specific circumstances (federal approval denied/revoked, reimbursement rate reductions, misuse of funds, or loss of federal matching funds), with remaining special fund moneys distributed to hospitals within six months in proportion to their contributions.