Section 96 Hospital Assessment 7

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the secretary of health and human services shall seek any and all required federal approvals the secretary deems necessary to implement sections 23, 62, 67, 70, 84 and 95 including any required waivers under 42 CFR § 433.68 necessary to implement the updates to the hospital assessment described in section 67 of chapter 118E of the General Laws, as amended by section 70. If, after having received any required federal approval necessary to implement sections 23, 62, 67, 70, 84 and 95, such approval is withdrawn or is otherwise not in effect, or the secretary determines that a change in federal law, regulations or the federal government's administration of federal law or regulation, requires a modification to the hospital assessment described in said section 67 of said chapter 118E, as amended by section 70, or to the implementation of the Health Safety Net Trust Fund established under section 66 of said chapter 118E, as amended by section 67, the Non-Acute Care Hospital Reimbursement Trust Fund established under section 2WWWW of chapter 29 of the General Laws, the Safety Net Provider Trust Fund established under section 2AAAAA of said chapter 29, the Hospital Investment and Performance Trust Fund established under section 2TTTTT of said chapter 29, or the Population Health Investment Trust Fund established under section 2UUUUU of said chapter 29, the secretary will notify the joint committee on health care financing and the house and senate committees on ways and means, and will consult with the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association to develop alternatives. Not later than February 15, 2026, and annually thereafter, the secretary shall report to the joint committee on health care financing and the house and senate committees on ways and means (i) the amount of the assessment made and collected from each hospital pursuant to section 67 of chapter 118E of the General Laws; and (ii) the amounts transferred to, deposited in, expended from and transferred from the Hospital Investment and Performance Trust Fund established under section 2TTTTT of chapter 29 of the General Laws, and the Population Health Investment Trust Fund established under section 2UUUUU of said chapter 29.

This section, along with other related sections, allows MassHealth to modify the current hospital assessment to increase the collections.