1. A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated.

2. B. Terms Defined.

   1. (1) “Automated clearing house (ACH)”, as defined in COMAR 03.01.02.01B, means a central clearing organization that operates as a clearing house for transmitting or receiving entries between banks and bank accounts, and authorizes an electronic transfer of funds between banks or bank accounts.
   2. (2) “Commission” means the Health Services Cost Review Commission.
   3. (3) “Comptroller” means the Comptroller of the Treasury or the Comptroller's designee.
   4. (4) “General Accounting Division” means the Fiscal Services Administration for the Maryland Department of Health.
   5. (5) “Health Services Cost Review Commission Fund” means the special fund established under Health-General Article, §19-207.1(d), Annotated Code of Maryland.
   6. (6) “Hospital” means an institution that is licensed by the Maryland Department of Health as an acute general hospital.
   7. (7) “Hospital Uncompensated Care Fund” means the monies that are collected from hospitals for the equitable financing of hospital uncompensated care and which are a discrete part of the Health Services Cost Review Commission Fund.
   8. (8) “Interest” means the investment earnings generated from the investment and reinvestment of the monies of the Hospital Uncompensated Care Fund which are separately held by the Treasury, accounted for by the Comptroller, and retained to the credit of the Health Services Cost Review Commission Fund.
   9. (9) “Mark-up” means the mechanism used to increase hospital rates to allow for payer differentials, working capital (prompt payment) differentials, and a provision for uncompensated care.
   10. (10) “Remittance” means the amount each hospital remits to the General Accounting Division pursuant to the predetermined formula established by the Commission to provide funding for the Commission's Hospital Uncompensated Care Fund.
   11. (11) “Special rate adjustment” means an adjustment to a hospital's rates, which will bring the hospital's uncompensated care provision of its mark-up to the Statewide uncompensated care average.
   12. (12) “Treasury” means the State Treasury.
   13. (13) “Wire transfer” means an electronic transaction in which a hospital, through the hospital's bank and an automated clearing house, originates an entry crediting the Health Services Cost Review Commission Fund's bank account and debiting the hospital's bank account on the same day the transaction is initiated.

Authority: Health-General Article, §§19-207, 19-207.1, 19-207.3, and 19-214, Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date: February 10, 1997 (24:3 Md. R. 188)

Regulation .01 amended effective March 9, 1998 (25:5 Md. R. 369); May 31, 1999 (26:11 Md. R. 855)

Regulation 01B amended as an emergency provision effective December 1, 2008 (36:2 Md. R. 97); amended permanently effective March 9, 2009 (36:5 Md. R. 423)

Regulation 02 amended as an emergency provision effective December 1, 2008 (36:2 Md. R. 97); amended permanently effective March 9, 2009 (36:5 Md. R. 423)

Regulation 03 amended as an emergency provision effective December 1, 2008 (36:2 Md. R. 97); amended permanently effective March 9, 2009 (36:5 Md. R. 423)

Regulation .04A, C amended effective March 9, 1998 (25:5 Md. R. 369); May 31, 1999 (26:11 Md. R. 855)

Regulation 04A, C amended as an emergency provision effective December 1, 2008 (36:2 Md. R. 97); amended permanently effective March 9, 2009 (36:5 Md. R. 423)

Regulation .05 recodified to Regulation .06 and new Regulation .05 adopted effective March 9, 1998 (25:5 Md. R. 369)

Regulation .05 amended effective May 31, 1999 (26:11 Md. R. 855)

Regulation 05 repealed as an emergency provision effective December 1, 2008 (36:2 Md. R. 97); repealed permanently effective March 9, 2009 (36:5 Md. R. 423)

Regulation 06 amended as an emergency provision effective December 1, 2008 (36:2 Md. R. 97); amended permanently effective March 9, 2009 (36:5 Md. R. 423)