Senate Bill 2820 Summary

• Establishes the COVID-19 Hospital Expanded Capacity Program administered by the Mississippi Department of Health to reimburse hospitals for expenses creating ICU beds (up to $200,000 per bed) and negative pressure beds (up to $50,000 per bed) incurred between March 3, 2021, and December 31, 2023.

• Exempts construction or addition of intensive care units or negative pressure rooms funded by this program from Mississippi's Healthcare Certificate of Need Law requirements.

• Requires hospitals to certify that reimbursable expenditures comply with the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 guidelines and limits reimbursement to exclude funds expended under the "Mississippi ICU Infrastructure Act" and professional fees.

• Creates the COVID-19 Mississippi Local Provider Innovation Grant Program to provide transitional assistance grants (up to $250,000 per applicant) to local health care providers for technology, telemedicine, and population health management improvements, funded from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund.

• Repeals both programs on July 1, 2026, and requires the Department of Health to submit annual reports to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee on program status and grants awarded.