§ 15-701. General consideration.

   (a) "Fund" defined. -- In this subtitle, "Fund" means the Health Care Coverage Fund.

(b) Fund established. -- There is a Health Care Coverage Fund.

(c) Purpose. -- The purpose of the Fund is to:

   (1) Support health care coverage for individuals and families with low or moderate income; and

   (2) Subject to subsection (i) of this section, support the provision of health care services in Prince George's County.

(d) Administration. -- The Department and the Maryland Health Care Commission shall administer the Fund.

(e) Status; accounting. --

   (1) The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7-302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.

   (2) The Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund.

(f) Contents. -- The Fund consists of:

   (1) Moneys transferred from the Maryland Health Insurance Plan Fund;

   (2) Moneys collected from any assessment by the State Health Services Cost Review Commission on hospitals under § 19-214(d) of this article;

   (3) Any moneys made available from investment earnings; and

   (4) Any other moneys from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund.

(g) Investments. --

   (1) The Fund shall be invested and reinvested in the same manner as other State funds.

   (2) Any investment earnings shall be credited to the Fund.

(h) Use of Fund. -- The Fund may be used only for expenses associated with:

   (1) Expanding Medicaid eligibility for parents and caretaker relatives:

      (i) Who have a dependent child living with them; and

      (ii) Whose annual household income is at or below 116% of the federal poverty guidelines;

   (2) Expanding Medicaid eligibility and benefits for individuals:

      (i) Who do not meet requirements, such as age, disability, or parent or caretaker relative of a dependent child, for a federal category of eligibility for Medicaid;

      (ii) Whose annual household income is at or below 116% of the federal poverty guidelines; and

      (iii) Who are not enrolled in the federal Medicare program, as enacted by Title XVIII of the Social Security Act;

   (3) Providing and administering health benefit plan premium subsidies under Title 15, Subtitle 12A of the Insurance Article; and

   (4) Supporting the provision of health care services in Prince George's County in accordance with subsection (i) of this section.

(i) Special fund operating grants. --

   (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, in fiscal year 2010, $ 12,000,000, and in fiscal years 2011 through 2013, up to $ 10,000,000 may be transferred annually from the Fund to the Department for the purpose of providing a special fund operating grant to an independent entity with authority over the facilities currently operated and health care services currently provided by Dimensions Healthcare System until the facilities and obligation to provide the services are transferred to a new owner or operator.

   (2) The Department may not provide a special fund operating grant until a long-term, comprehensive solution to the control and operation of the facilities and provision of health care services currently operated and provided by Dimensions Healthcare System is reached through:

      (i) An Act of the General Assembly; or

      (ii) A memorandum of understanding between the State and Prince George's County.

   (3) The long-term, comprehensive solution under paragraph (2) of this subsection shall address issues related to health care needs in Prince George's County and the surrounding region, including:

      (i) The transfer to a new owner or operator of the facilities currently operated and the obligation to provide the health care services currently provided by Dimensions Healthcare System;

      (ii) A plan for the assets currently held by Prince George's County related to the facilities currently operated by Dimensions Healthcare System;

      (iii) A mechanism to provide a steady revenue stream to help support ongoing operations of the facilities currently operated by Dimensions Healthcare System and to retire the long-term bond indebtedness and satisfy the unfunded pension liability of Dimensions Healthcare System; and

      (iv) A mechanism to assure equitable and sustainable funding from Prince George's County and the State.

   (4) Moneys transferred from the Maryland Health Insurance Plan Fund or collected from an assessment by the State Health Services Cost Review Commission on hospitals may not be used for the purpose of this subsection.

(j) Expenditures. -- Expenditures from the Fund may be made only in accordance with the State budget.

(k) Supplemental to funding for Maryland Medical Assistance Program. -- Money from the Fund shall supplement and may not supplant funding for the Maryland Medical Assistance Program.

(l) Audits. -- The Fund is subject to audit by the Office of Legislative Audits.

HISTORY: 2007 Sp. Sess., ch. 7, § 1; 2009, ch. 487, § 1.