Senate Bill No. [insert bill number] seeks to enhance the accountability and transparency of nonprofit hospitals regarding their community benefits. It introduces new reporting requirements that mandate these hospitals to disclose their charity care and community benefit spending to the Department of Public Health and Human Services, specifically detailing their net community benefit expenses in line with IRS Form 990. A significant provision of the bill stipulates that if a nonprofit hospital's community benefit falls short of its potential property tax liability, a fee equivalent to the difference will be imposed, with the funds directed to a newly established Critical Access Health Care Special Revenue Account to support critical access hospitals. Additionally, the bill amends the definition of "nonprofit hospital" to exclude specialty hospitals and those focused on psychiatric, developmental disabilities, or tubercular patients.

The legislation also updates various definitions related to healthcare facilities and services in Montana, introducing terms such as "personal care," "rehabilitation facility," and "rural emergency hospital," while clarifying the scope of services provided by specialty hospitals. It includes codification instructions for integrating these new sections into existing Montana law and sets an effective date for the act of January 1, 2026. Overall, the bill aims to ensure that nonprofit hospitals adequately contribute to community health needs while streamlining and clarifying the state's healthcare regulations.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 50-5-101
SB0560_1(1): 50-5-101
SB0560_1(2): 50-5-101
SB0560_1: 50-5-101