NC H973

Requires the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services to develop and implement a two-tiered payment system for local inpatient psychiatric beds based on acuity level, with enhanced rates for higher acuity patients.

Enhanced payment rates for higher acuity inpatient psychiatric beds or bed days shall not exceed the lowest average cost per patient bed day among state psychiatric hospitals.

Department must establish performance measures to assess the two-tiered system's effectiveness and submit reports describing these measures by June 30, 2013, with assessment reports due by March 1, 2014, and annually thereafter.

Appropriates $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2013-2014 and $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2014-2015 to fund the enhanced payment rates for higher acuity inpatient psychiatric beds or bed days.

Effective date is July 1, 2013.