Session Laws

Whereas , The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to preserve forthwith the medical services in the cities of Waltham and Quincy, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 2A of chapter 101 of the acts of 1999 is hereby amended by striking out item 1599-1499 and inserting in place thereof the following item:-

1599-1499

For a one-time loan to the city of Quincy for the purpose of facilitating the conversion of Quincy Hospital from ownership by the city of Quincy to ownership by a private nonprofit corporation; provided, that such loan shall be repaid by the city in 4 equal annual installments, without interest, commencing in fiscal year 2007 and ending in fiscal year 2010; provided, further, that the terms of the loan shall be established by and subject to the terms of an agreement to be negotiated between the city, represented by the mayor, and the secretary of administration and finance; provided, further, that the state comptroller shall intercept cherry sheet payments due to the city from the commonwealth upon certification by the secretary that the city is in default on the loan or any other terms of the agreement; provided, further, that the proceeds of the loan shall be used by the city for the costs associated with the conversion, including, but not limited to, obligations of the hospital to the city for employee benefits and for any indebtedness incurred by the city on behalf of the hospital; provided, further, that in the event that the financial commitments of the city to the hospital in fiscal years 2000 to 2006, inclusive, terminate for any reason prior to fiscal year 2007, the annual installment payments of the loan shall become due in the fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the financial commitments terminate; provided, further, that the city, in collaboration with the corporation, shall file annually with the secretary of administration and finance and with the secretary of health and human services, the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on health care a report delineating the benchmarks and milestones established by the corporation to achieve financial viability and the status of the corporation in achieving the benchmarks and milestones, including changes in patient volume and payer mix, the establishment and maintenance of community benefits by the corporation and the results of affiliations with other health care providers and health care entities; and provided, further, that the report shall be filed not later than the January 1 following the end of each hospital fiscal year 2000 to 2006, inclusive ................................$12,100,000

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law or regulation to the contrary, a non-acute care hospital licensed as a chronic disease hospital and located in the city of Waltham may transfer all or part of its beds to the campus of any health care facility, as defined in section 70E of chapter 111 of the General Laws, that is licensed by the department of public health and located in the city of Waltham or to a campus of an ambulatory care provider located in said city without regard to whether such beds have been in service during the 6 months immediately preceding the date of any proposed transfer.