§ 19-802. In general.

   (a) Established. -- There is a Maryland Health Care Provider Rate Stabilization Fund.

(b) Purposes. -- The purposes of the Fund are to:

   (1) retain health care providers in the State by allowing medical professional liability insurers to collect rates that are less than the rates approved under § 11-201 of this article;

   (2) increase fee-for-service rates paid by the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to health care providers identified under § 19-807 of this subtitle;

   (3) pay managed care organization health care providers identified under § 19-807 of this subtitle consistent with fee-for-service health care provider rates;

   (4) increase capitation payments to managed care organizations participating in the Maryland Medical Assistance Program consistent with § 15-103(b)(18) of the Health - General Article; and

   (5) during the period that an allocation is made to the Rate Stabilization Account, subsidize up to $ 350,000 annually to provide for the costs incurred by the Commissioner to administer the Fund.

(c) Source of Fund. -- The Fund shall consist of:

   (1) the revenue from the tax imposed on health maintenance organizations and managed care organizations under § 6-102 of this article;

   (2) interest or other income earned on the moneys in the Fund; and

   (3) any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund.

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

(e) Management. -- The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund.

(f) Investments. -- The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same manner as other State money may be invested.

(g) Composition of Fund. -- The Fund comprises:

   (1) the Rate Stabilization Account from which disbursements shall be made to pay for health care provider rate subsidies; and

   (2) the Medical Assistance Program Account from which disbursements shall be made to:

      (i) provide an increase in fee-for-service health care provider rates paid by the Maryland Medical Assistance Program;

      (ii) provide an increase for managed care organization health care providers consistent with fee-for-service health care provider rate increases;

      (iii) provide an increase in capitation payments to managed care organizations participating in the Maryland Medical Assistance Program consistent with § 15-103(b)(18) of the Health - General Article; and

      (iv) after fiscal year 2009, maintain rates for health care providers and generally to support the operations of the Maryland Medical Assistance Program.

HISTORY: 2005, ch. 1; 2007, chs. 174, 175; 2008, ch. 329.