Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) Payments

Public Comment Period for State Plan Amendment (SPA): Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) Payments 

LEGAL NOTICE
NEW HAMPSHIRE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

The New Hampshire (NH) Department of Health and Human Services (the Department) makes Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments to hospitals that do not meet the definition of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) that provide essential access to hospital services. Each year the magnitude of these DSH payments is determined and announced via an amendment to the DSH provisions of the NH Medicaid State Plan. The Department proposes to amend its Medicaid State Plan to update the values for state fiscal year 2024 annual funding levels and the payment amounts for all private hospital DSH Payments consistent with NH RSA 167:64. 

The proposed state plan amendment amends the maximum aggregate payment amount available in state and federal fiscal year 2024 for the payment of qualifying uncompensated care costs to all qualifying disproportionate share hospitals to $219,987,391 consistent with NH RSA 167:64. 
The estimated aggregate fiscal impact of these proposed changes to the NH Medicaid program and its NH Medicaid State Plan in state and federal fiscal year 2024 is an increase of $5,798,762 in DSH payments combined, $2,899,381 in federal funds and $2,899,381 in state funds. The Department is seeking an effective date of May 20, 2024, for these proposed changes. 

Copies of the draft state plan pages describing these proposed updates to hospital Supplemental Access Payments and DSH payment amounts are available. Please contact Jody Farwell at (603) 271-9343 or via e-mail at Jody.L.Farwell@dhhs.nh.gov, to request copies. The amendments to the NH Medicaid State Plan pages may undergo further revisions before and after submittal to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) based upon public comment or CMS feedback. Comments will be due on June 17, 2024 and should be e-mailed to Jody.L.Farwell@dhhs.nh.gov or sent to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Medicaid Services, 129 Pleasant Street- Brown Building, Concord, NH 03301-3857, ATTN: Jody Farwell.