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Bill

A 7220

Relates to the general hospital indigent care pool and funding for safety net and enhanced safety net hospitals

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn and 10 co-sponsors

A 7220 updates funding for the general hospital indigent care pool to boost allocations for safety net and enhanced safety net hospitals, improving care access for uninsured/low-income patients.

REFERRED TO HEALTH
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Bill Summary · A 7220

Summary — Bill A 7220

Relates to the general hospital indigent care pool and funding for safety net and enhanced safety net hospitals

Quick Facts

  • Bill Number: A 7220
  • Title: Relates to the general hospital indigent care pool and funding for safety net and enhanced safety net hospitals
  • Status: REFERRED TO HEALTH
  • Introduced: March 21, 2025
  • Primary sponsor: Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn
  • Notable cosponsors (listed): Nikki Lucas, Jonathan Jacobson, MaryJane Shimsky, Dana Levenberg, Maritza Davila, Zohran Mamdani, Alex Bores, Steven Raga, Yudelka Tapia, Anna Kelles
  • Related bills: A 6883 (prior-session), A 7217 (prior-session)

What the bill would do (based on the title and related context)

  • The bill concerns the general hospital indigent care pool, which is a funding mechanism intended to support hospitals in delivering care to uninsured or low-income patients.
  • It proposes funding provisions specifically aimed at safety net hospitals and what are described as enhanced safety net hospitals. Safety net hospitals typically include facilities that treat a higher proportion of Medicaid, uninsured, or underinsured patients and often serve as key healthcare access points in their communities.
  • While the exact statutory changes are not provided in the summary, the bill would be expected to modify one or more of the following areas:
    • Definitions and eligibility criteria for eligibility within the indigent care pool
    • The formula or methodology used to allocate funds to safety net and enhanced safety net hospitals
    • The range of expenditures covered by the pool (e.g., uncompensated care, bad debt, public health initiatives)
    • Reporting and accountability requirements for participating hospitals
    • Timing and size of annual appropriations or transfers to the pool
    • Any sunset provisions or renewal timelines
    • Implementation dates and transitional provisions, if applicable

Potential impact (who/what would be affected)

  • Hospitals: Safety net and enhanced safety net hospitals would likely receive updated funding allocations, with potential changes to eligibility, reporting, and oversight requirements.
  • Patients: Uninsured or underinsured patients who rely on hospital services could be affected through changes in hospital funding for indigent care, potentially influencing access to care and financial assistance programs.
  • State agencies: The Department of Health (and related fiscal offices) would implement, monitor, and report on the indigent care pool funding and hospital allocations.
  • System-wide implications: Depending on the final provisions, the bill could influence hospital budgeting, service mix, and community health initiatives tied to indigent care and safety-net services.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • The bill was introduced on March 21, 2025 and referred to the Health Committee.
  • The same date shows the bill listed as referred to Health in two entries, indicating standard committee referral activity.
  • Next common steps (not guaranteed in this text): committee consideration and vote, potential amendments, floor debate and vote in the full chamber, and eventual consideration by the other chamber (as applicable) and conference processes if the chambers pass differing versions.
  • Related legislation (A 6883 and A 7217) from prior sessions suggests this topic has been revisited previously and may share similar intent or structures.

Key questions to review in the full text

  • What are the exact definitions of “safety net hospital” and “enhanced safety net hospital” used in A 7220?
  • How would the indigent care pool be funded (sources, annual amounts, and any state/federal matches)?
  • What is the distribution formula to hospitals, and what performance or reporting requirements would accompany funding?
  • Are there any sunset provisions, mandatory reporting milestones, or evaluation deadlines?
  • How does the bill interact with existing indigent care or Medicaid-related funding programs?

If you’d like, I can incorporate the bill’s actual text (when available) to provide a line-by-line summary of provisions, definitions, and any fiscal impact analyses.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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