1664                                     LAWS OF MARYLAND                                 Ch. 804

BEGINNING ON JULY 1, 1974, THE RATE OF CONTRIBUTIONS FOR
ANY COUNTY OR BALTIMORE CITY SHALL BE 15% OF THE COST
FOR THE HOSPITAL CARE OF INDIGENTS AND MEDICALLY
INDIGENT PERSONS IN THE RESPECTIVE POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS.
BEGINNING ON JULY 1, 1975, HOSPITAL CARE SHALL BE 10%.
BEGINNING ON JULY 1, 1976, THE RATE OF CONTRIBUTION FOR
ANY COUNTY OR BALTIMORE CITY SHALL BE 5%. BEGINNING JULY
1, 1977, THE RATE OF CONTRIBUTION SHALL BE REDUCED TO
ZERO.]] , PROVIDED, THAT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING ON
JULY. 1, 1974, AND FOR EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER THE
MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF PAYMENT BY ANY COUNTY OR
BALTIMORE CITY SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF PAYMENT
ACTUALLY PAID FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING ON JULY 1,
1973. The amount to be placed on deposit with the State Department of Health for
each fiscal year will be that amount specified for trie respective political
subdivisions in estimates to be furnished to the political subdivisions by the State
Department of Health during the month of December immediately preceding the
beginning of the fiscal year concerned. Those estimates will be based on the same
considerations as those which are incorporated in the calculations in the
Governor's recommended budget. Following the close of the fiscal year for which
the deposit is made, the State Department of Health shall make a final calculation
of the exact amount required for the county to satisfy the provisions of this
subsection. If that amount exceeds the amount which the political subdivision had
placed on deposit, the additional local requirement will be reported to the political
subdivision concerned, and the political subdivision shall appropriate and forward
that amount to the State Department of Health within eighteen (18) months after
receipt of the report. If the final calculation shows that the amount placed on
deposit was in excess of the required amount to satisfy this subsection, the State
Department of Health will credit the differences to each subdivision concerned in
the estimates it forwards to each political subdivision in December of each year, as
provided at the outset of this subsection.

(b)  These funds shall be used by the State Department of Health solely for the
purpose of supplementing the State general funds appropriated for hospital care so
that payments for hospital service rendered to indigent and medically indigent
patients will be made at full current cost as determined by the step-down
accounting method in conjunction with the ratio of charge to cost procedures as
recommended by the Maryland Legislative Council's committee on taxation and
fiscal matters.

(c)  Such federal funds as may be received by the State, as reimbursement for
payments for hospital care, shall be accounted for in such a way that the respective
political subdivisions and the State receive the pro rata benefit of such federal
funds, to the extent that such federal funds are not needed to defray 20% of the
cost of hospital care.

(d)  In order to participate in this program, each county and Baltimore City is
authorized and required to levy such taxes as are necessary to provide for the
payments required by this subsection.

(e)  The State Board of Health and Mental Hygiene is authorized to adopt and
promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the implementation
of this section.

(f)  The payment by any county or Baltimore City to the State Department of
Health of the sum specified in this section, plus any supplementation of this sum
by any State or federal funds, shall be treated and considered up to the particular
aggregate amount as compliance with any public local law for that county or