June 24, 2011
On June 23, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Council heard a presentation on the overview of the standard dollar amount (SDA) hospital payment rates and approved a rule for publication in the July 8, 2011 Texas Register.
HHSC proposes to repeal current §355.8052 and replace it with new §355.8052 describing the prospective payment system applicable to Medicaid inpatient hospital payments. The proposed methodology establishes a statewide base standard dollar amount (SDA) that is intended to address the issue of significant disparity of payment for the same services by hospitals that are similarly situated in the state. Teaching hospitals and trauma-designated hospitals are eligible for increases to the statewide base SDA, in recognition of the high-cost functions of those groups of providers. Increases to the statewide base SDA are also available based on wage differences related to the geographic area in which each prospectively-paid inpatient hospital is located. Before approving the rule for publication, Council was informed that the HHSC is working to adjust some language before publication.
HHSC will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 1:30 p.m. to receive public comments on proposed amendments to the administrative rule. The public hearing will also receive public comments on proposed rates developed as a result of these proposed rule amendments. The public hearing will be held in the Lone Star Conference Room of HHSC, Braker Center, Building H, located at 11209 Metric Boulevard, Austin. Entry is through Security at the main entrance of the building, which faces Metric Boulevard.
A briefing package describing the proposed payment rates will be available at http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/rad/rate-packets.shtml on or after July 13, 2011.