Title
Amending Chapter 19-3500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "General Acute Care Hospital Assessment," by adding an assessment upon the Net Operating Revenue of certain specified hospitals located in the City of Philadelphia; all under certain terms and conditions.
Body
WHEREAS, It is of paramount public interest that access to quality health care including emergency services shall be available to all citizens of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Hospitals within Philadelphia are suffering significant financial strain due to shortfalls between their costs of providing such health care services and the reimbursements they receive for those services; and
WHEREAS, The City recognizes the need to identify additional funding sources to ensure continuity of health care and access for all citizens to emergency services; and
WHEREAS, The General Assembly of the Commonwealth authorized cities of the first class to impose an Assessment for the purpose of establishing such an additional funding source; and
WHEREAS, the City imposed such an Assessment but exempted pursuant to § 19-3501(2)(iv) certain hospitals that provide a high volume of care to Medicaid patients ("High Volume Medicaid Hospitals") as those hospitals were recipients of other Commonwealth payments for enhanced access to medical care in economically distressed areas; and
WHEREAS, severe budgetary constraints may limit those other Commonwealth payments unless a new funding source is identified; and
WHEREAS, the City has determined to impose on this previously exempt category of hospitals a new assessment upon Net Operating Revenue to generate such a funding source.
NOW THEREFORE,
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. Section 19-3500 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
CHAPTER 19-3500. GENERAL ACUTE CARE AND HIGH VOLUME MEDICAID HOSPITAL ASSESSMENTS.
§ 19-3501. Definitions.
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(2) ["Exempt Hospital." A...
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