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144.1484 Rural hospital financial assistance grants.

Subdivision 1. Sole community hospital financial assistance grants. (a) The commissioner of health shall award financial assistance grants to rural hospitals in isolated areas of the state. To qualify for a grant, a hospital must: (1) be eligible to be classified as a sole community hospital according to the criteria in Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, section 412.92 or be located in a community with a population of less than 5,000 and located more than 25 miles from a like hospital currently providing acute short-term services; (2) have experienced net operating income losses in two of the previous three most recent consecutive hospital fiscal years for which audited financial information is available; (3) consist of 40 or fewer licensed beds; and (4) demonstrate to the commissioner that it has obtained local support for the hospital and that any state support awarded under this program will not be used to supplant local support for the hospital.

(b) The commissioner shall review audited financial statements of the hospital to assess the extent of local support. Evidence of local support may include bonds issued by a local government entity such as a city, county, or hospital district for the purpose of financing hospital projects; and loans, grants, or donations to the hospital from local government entities, private organizations, or individuals.

(c) The commissioner shall determine the amount of the award to be given to each eligible hospital based on the hospital's operating loss margin (total operating losses as a percentage of total operating revenue) for two of the previous three most recent consecutive fiscal years for which audited financial information is available and the total amount of funding available. For purposes of calculating a hospital's operating loss margin, total operating revenue does not include grant funding provided under this subdivision. One hundred percent of the available funds will be disbursed proportionately based on the operating loss margins of the eligible hospitals.

(d) Before awarding a grant contract to an eligible hospital, the commissioner shall require the eligible hospital to submit a budget for the use of grant funds. For grants above $30,000, the commissioner shall also require the eligible hospital to submit a brief annual work plan that includes objectives and activities intended to improve the hospital's financial viability and maintain the quality of the hospital's services.

(e) Hospitals receiving a grant under this section shall submit brief semiannual reports to the commissioner reporting progress toward meeting annual plan objectives.

Subd. 2. Grants to at-risk rural hospitals to offset the impact of the hospital tax. (a) The commissioner of health shall award financial assistance grants to rural hospitals that would otherwise close as a direct result of the hospital tax in section 295.52. To be eligible for a grant, a hospital must have 50 or fewer beds and must not be located in a city of the first class. To receive a grant, the hospital must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the commissioner of health that the hospital will close in the absence of state assistance under this subdivision and that the hospital tax is the principal reason for the closure.

(b) At a minimum the hospital must demonstrate that:

(1) it has had a net margin of minus ten percent or below in at least one of the last two years or a net margin of less than zero percent in at least three of the last four years. For purposes of this subdivision, "net margin" means the ratio of net income from all hospital sources to total revenues generated by the hospital;

(2) it has had a negative cash flow in at least three of the last four years. For purposes of this subdivision, "cash flow" means the total of net income plus depreciation; and

(3) its fund balance has declined by at least 25 percent over the last two years, and its fund balance at the end of its last fiscal year was equal to or less than its accumulated net loss during the last two years. For purposes of this subdivision, "fund balance" means the excess of assets of the hospital's fund over its liabilities and reserves.

(c) A hospital seeking a grant shall submit the following with its application:

(1) a statement of the projected dollar amount of tax liability for the current fiscal year, projected monthly disbursements, and projected net patient revenue base for the current fiscal year, broken down by payer categories including Medicare, medical assistance, MinnesotaCare, general assistance medical care, and others. The figures must be certified by the hospital administrator;

(2) a statement of all rate increases, listing the date and percentage of each increase during the last three years and the date and percentage of any increases for the current fiscal year. The statement must be certified by the hospital administrator and must include a narrative explaining whether or not the rate increase incorporates a pass-through of the hospital tax;

(3) a statement certified by the chair or equivalent of the hospital board, and by an independent auditor, that the hospital will close within the next 12 months as a result of the hospital tax unless it receives a grant; and

(4) a statement certified by the chair or equivalent of the hospital board that the hospital will not close for financial reasons within the next 12 months if it receives a grant.

The amount of the grant must not exceed the amount of the tax the hospital would pay under section 295.52, based on the previous year's hospital revenues. A hospital that closes within 12 months after receiving a grant under this subdivision must refund the amount of the grant to the commissioner of health.

HIST: 1992 c 549 art 5 s 10; 1993 c 345 art 10 s 2,3; 1995 c 234 art 8 s 33; 1997 c 225 art 2 s 54; 1999 c 247 s 6

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Revisor of Statutes