Lawmaker highlights hospital stabilization measures: direct appropriations and $500M reserve

A lawmaker told reporters that the Senatepassed budget includes targeted support intended to stabilize hospitals facing sudden funding losses.

"We put 25 million dollars for each CMC in an uncompensated care pool of 30 million dollars for other distressed hospitals and a rate increase ongoing for critical access hospitals," the lawmaker said, describing multiple line items aimed at shoring up providers.

The lawmaker said the Senate also created a health-care stabilization reserve of $500 million taken from the budget reserve with specific criteria for accessing the funds. "That's 500 million dollars out of the budget reserve with criteria of how you would access that money in case they need it," they said.

Officials, the lawmaker said, will require hospitals to demonstrate distress with financial documents and show closure risk; both the governor and a legislative advisory committee would need to approve access to the reserve, according to the lawmaker.