PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor

Ch. 35

ARE DIFFERENT FROM THE BENEFITS OFFERED WHEN OTHER HOSPITALS ARE
USED, SHALL BASE ITS DESIGNATION OF A LOW-COST HOSPITAL ON INFORMATION
THAT

(1) EXCLUDES THE REASONABLE COST OF MEDICAL EDUCATION AND
OF UNCOMPENSATED CARE AS DETERMINED BY THE HEALTH SERVICES COST
REVIEW COMMISSION;

(2) EXCLUDES THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH A SHOCK TRAUMA
FACILITY AS DETERMINED BY THE HEALTH SERVICES COST REVIEW COMMISSION;

(3) EXCLUDES THE AMOUNT IN RATES APPROVED BY THE HEALTH
SERVICES COST REVIEW COMMISSION FOR UNDERGRADUATE NURSING
EDUCATION;

(4) EXCLUDES FROM CONSIDERATION EACH HOSPITAL THAT IS
DETERMINED BY THE HEALTH RESOURCES PLANNING COMMISSION TO BE A SOLE
COMMUNITY PROVIDER; AND

(5) COMPARES HOSPITALS ON A REGIONAL BASIS, UNLESS THE ENTITY
DEMONSTRATES TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE COMMISSIONER THAT A STATEWIDE
COMPARISON IS MORE APPROPRIATE.

(C) BENEFITS NOT TO BE SUBSIDIZED.

AN ENTITY SUBJECT TO THIS SECTION THAT PROVIDES HOSPITAL BENEFITS
UNDER SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION MAY NOT SUBSIDIZE THOSE BENEFITS
FROM PREMIUMS EARNED BY OTHER BENEFIT PLANS, PROGRAMS, OR POLICIES.

REVISOR'S NOTE: This section is new language derived without substantive
change from former Art. 48A, §§ 356B, 438C, and 477CC.

In subsection (a) of this section, the reference to insurers and nonprofit health
service plans that provide hospital benefits "under individual, group, or
blanket health insurance policies" is added to clarify the applicability of this
section. Consequently, the former reference to insurers that provide "group
health insurance or blanket health insurance" is deleted as unnecessary.

In subsection (b)(5) of this section, the former reference to a statewide
comparison being more appropriate "under the circumstances" is deleted as
surplusage.

In subsection (c) of this section, the reference to "providing] hospital benefits
under" subsection (b) of this section is substituted for the former references to
"providing benefits under a plan defined in" subsection (b) of this section and
"providing group health insurance or blanket health insurance under"
subsection (b) of this section for clarity and consistency within this section.

Defined terms: "Commissioner" § 1-101
"Health insurance" § 1-101

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