250                                 LAWS OF MARYLAND                          [CH. 136

for like services or 80% of each hospital's
certified average per diem cost of the 1967
fiscal year.

Hospitals are required to submit bills not later
than the 30th of the month following the
month of discharge except that at the end of
the fiscal year, bills must be submitted by the
5th work day of the succeeding fiscal year, for
all patients discharged on or before June 30 of
that year. Bills for patients remaining in the
Hospital on June 30 who, as of that date, have
been patients continuously for a period in ex-
cess of thirty days and for whom the hospital
holds an authorization for extended service
must be submitted, using June 30 as the dis-
charge date.

Payments for post hospital care in nursing
homes shall be at the rates established by the
Department of Public Welfare for clients with
comparable needs.

The State Board of Health and Mental Hygiene
is authorized to promulgate rules and regula-
tions for the operation of this program. In
the event that the Federal Government makes
funds available to the State for hospitaliza-
tion of the indigent and medically indigent,
any part of this appropriation may be used for
matching purposes by mutual consent of the
institution and the State Department of
Health .................................................................. 13,228,508

All or part of these appropriations may be
transferred to the State Department of Public
Welfare by approved budget amendment in
order for the State to be eligible to receive
Federal matching funds for medical care in
the event that the Board of Public Works
deems such action to be desirable; further,
all or any part of these appropriations may be
used for such matching purposes; and in the
event such transfer of these appropriations
from the State Department of Health to the
State Department of Public Welfare is made,
the Board of Public Works shall approve a
plan for continuing the programs of medical
care under the provisions of Article 43, Sec-
tions 42 and 43 of the Annotated Code of
Maryland, 1957 edition.

Be it further enacted that funds provided in this
program for the payment of general and
special hospitals current costs for the pur-
chase of inpatient care is contingent upon
Maryland's acceptance and participation in
Public Law 89-97 by the Federal Government.