Hospital Expanded Capacity Program; extend period during which expenses incurred by hospitals for ICU beds may be reimbursed under.
Summary
HB671 extends Mississippi’s COVID-19 Hospital Expanded Capacity Program by moving forward the reimbursement window for eligible hospital expenses from December 31, 2023 to December 31, 2024. The program, administered by the Mississippi Department of Health, is designed to reimburse hospitals that expanded treatment capacity during the pandemic, with priority first for ICU bed creation and then for negative pressure beds. The bill keeps the existing reimbursement caps in place: up to $200,000 per ICU bed and up to $50,000 per negative pressure bed.
The bill also preserves the program’s administrative framework and compliance requirements. Hospitals receiving funds must certify that expenses are allowable under the federal American Rescue Plan Act and related Treasury guidance, and the Department of Health must certify compliance to the Department of Finance and Administration. The department may not reimburse costs already covered by the Mississippi ICU Infrastructure Act or professional fees associated with bed creation, may retain up to $150,000 for administration, and must provide annual reports to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. The act takes effect July 1, 2025, and is repealed July 1, 2026.
Impact
HB671 amends Section 41-14-31 of the Mississippi Code to expand the reimbursable expense period under the COVID-19 Hospital Expanded Capacity Program, allowing hospitals to seek reimbursement for qualifying ICU and negative pressure bed creation costs incurred through the end of 2024 rather than 2023. It continues the use of Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Funds and ARPA-related compliance rules, while maintaining limits on eligible costs, administrative spending, and reporting obligations for the Department of Health. The bill affects hospitals that expanded capacity during the pandemic and the state agencies responsible for distributing and overseeing these funds.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad bipartisan support and little visible opposition. It passed the House unanimously and also passed the Senate unanimously, including passage as amended, suggesting general agreement that extending the reimbursement window is appropriate and noncontroversial. The available record does not include committee debate, so the overall sentiment is best characterized as favorable and procedural rather than contested.
Contention
No major points of contention are evident in the available materials. The main policy choice is whether to extend reimbursement eligibility through 2024, which appears to have been accepted without recorded dissent. The bill’s restrictions on reimbursing costs already covered by the Mississippi ICU Infrastructure Act and on professional fees, along with the requirement that funds comply with federal ARPA rules, may be relevant implementation issues, but no specific objections are reflected in the vote record or transcripts.