MS HB318

Establishes the Mississippi Rural Hospital Transition and Improvement Grant Program under the State Department of Health to provide grants to rural hospitals for implementing plans that increase community healthcare access and hospital sustainability.

Defines eligible "Mississippi rural hospitals" as nonfederal general acute care hospitals with 50 or fewer short-term acute beds located in counties with populations under 60,000 or municipalities under 7,500, or hospitals designated as critical access hospitals.

Authorizes total grants of $4,000,000 per state fiscal year with a maximum of $200,000 per hospital per fiscal year; grants must be used to modify services, develop physician practices, establish telemedicine or electronic health records systems, or increase healthcare accessibility.

Prohibits grant funds from supplanting federal funds or financing existing debt; requires hospitals to submit yearly reports detailing grant expenditures and certifying proper use of funds.

Creates an advisory council composed of two State Department of Health employees, one Mississippi Hospital Association representative, two critical access hospital representatives, two non-critical access hospital representatives, and two rural physicians to review and recommend grant awards.