Outside Section 58

Inspector General's Health Care Audits

SECTION 58.   Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, in hospital fiscal year 2018, the office of inspector general may expend a total of $1,000,000 from the Health Safety Net Trust Fund established in section 66 of chapter 118E of the General Laws for costs associated with maintaining a health safety net audit unit within the office. The unit shall continue to oversee and examine the practices in all hospitals including, but not limited to, the care of the uninsured and the resulting free charges. The unit shall also study and review the Medicaid program under said chapter 118E including, but not limited to, reviewing the program's eligibility requirements, utilization, claims administration and compliance with federal mandates. The inspector general shall submit a report to the house and senate committees on ways and means on the results of the audits and any other completed analyses on or before March 1, 2018.



Summary:
This section authorizes the Inspector General's Office to conduct audits of the Health Safety Net and the MassHealth program, at a cost of $1 million for fiscal year 2018. As in past years, this cost will be borne by the Health Safety Net Trust Fund.