Section 6A Collection of financial data from acute hospitals; annual reports - Massachusetts Statutes

Section 6A. (a) In fulfillment of its duties pursuant to clause (a) of the second paragraph of section 2, the division shall collect and analyze such data as it deems necessary in order to better protect the public’s interest in monitoring the financial conditions of acute hospitals. Such information shall be analyzed on an industry-wide and hospital-specific basis and shall include, but not be limited to: (1) gross and net patient service revenues; (2) sources of hospital revenue, including revenue excluded from consideration in the establishment of hospital rates and charges pursuant to section 12; (3) private sector charges; (4) trends in inpatient and outpatient case mix, payor mix, hospital volume and length of stay; and (5) other relevant measures of financial health or distress.

(b) The division shall publish annual reports and establish a continuing program of investigation and study of financial trends in the acute hospital industry, including an analysis of systemic instabilities or inefficiencies that contribute to financial distress in the acute hospital industry. Such reports shall include an identification and examination of hospitals that the division considers to be in financial distress, including any hospitals at risk of closing or discontinuing essential health services, as defined by the department of public health pursuant to section 51G of chapter 111, as a result of financial distress.

(c) The division may modify uniform reporting requirements established pursuant to section 6 and may require hospitals to report required information quarterly to effectuate the purposes of this section.