Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §1887, as amended by PL 1995, c. 232, §6, is further amended to read:

§1887. Assessment

Except for state-operated mental health hospitals, all hospitals licensed by the department are subject to an annual assessment under this chapter. The department shall collect the assessment. The amount of the assessment must be based upon each hospital's gross patient service revenue. For any fiscal year, the aggregate amount raised by the assessment must be equal to the amount allocated by law to carry out the purposes of this chapter in that fiscal year $200,000. The allocation for the fiscal years 1995-96 and 1996-97 is limited to no more than $200,000 per year. The department shall deposit funds collected under this section into a dedicated revenue account. Funds remaining in the account at the end of each fiscal year do not lapse but carry forward into subsequent years. Funds deposited into the account must be allocated to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

SUMMARY

This bill clarifies that the annual assessment placed on hospitals under the Hospital Cooperation Act of 1992 is $200,000. This bill is the recommendation of the Department of the Attorney General.