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Board approves non‑ad valorem assessment to fund hospital-directed payment program
Summary
Commissioners approved a resolution imposing a non‑ad valorem special assessment on nonpublic hospital property to fund a local provider participation fund and intergovernmental transfers intended to boost hospital reimbursements; hospital leaders said the program helps behavioral health and pediatric services.
The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners on June 17 approved a resolution imposing a non‑ad valorem special assessment solely on property owned or leased by nonpublic hospitals to fund a local provider participation program and intergovernmental transfers intended to enhance hospital reimbursement.
The board voted unanimously to adopt the measure after hospital leaders from AdventHealth, BayCare and Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital addressed the board during the public hearing portion of the agenda.
Minh Dang, chief financial officer at AdventHealth Ocala, told the board the program “generates critically needed funds to support hospitals in Pinellas County and provides AdventHealth with the ability to meet the growing needs of our underserved community and to provide high quality care for our patients.”
Kelly Enriquez, identified as a hospital president with BayCare, said the directed payment funds help the system to “bridge the Medicaid shortfall and empower us to continue providing access to care” including behavioral health and pediatric services. David Billardello, vice president of government affairs for Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, said the funding supports retention of nurses and rehab specialists.
Commissioners did not record dissent and the resolution passed unanimously. The resolution authorizes the county to levy an assessment, deposit funds to a local provider participation fund and initiate intergovernmental transfers that, when matched, are intended to increase reimbursement for hospitals that serve Medicaid and uninsured patients.
Ending: The county and hospital leaders said they will implement the program administratively and monitor how additional funds affect local service capacity, especially pediatric and behavioral health services that hospitals said rely heavily on reimbursement improvements.
