Washington § 70.170.080 - Assessments — Costs.

The basic expenses for the hospital data collection and reporting activities of this chapter shall be financed by an assessment against hospitals of no more than four one-hundredths of one percent of each hospital's gross operating costs, to be levied and collected from and after that date, upon which the similar assessment levied under *chapter 70.39 RCW is terminated, for the provision of hospital services for its last fiscal year ending on or before June 30th of the preceding calendar year. Budgetary requirements in excess of that limit must be financed by a general fund appropriation by the legislature. All moneys collected under this section shall be deposited by the state treasurer in the hospital data collection account which is hereby created in the state treasury. The department may also charge, receive, and dispense funds or authorize any contractor or outside sponsor to charge for and reimburse the costs associated with special studies as specified in RCW 70.170.050.

During the 1993-1995 fiscal biennium, moneys in the hospital data collection account may be expended, pursuant to appropriation, for hospital data analysis and the administration of the health information program. During the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium, moneys in the hospital data collection account may be expended for operating costs of the charity care program.

Any amounts raised by the collection of assessments from hospitals provided for in this section which are not required to meet appropriations in the budget act for the current fiscal year shall be available to the department in succeeding years.

*Reviser's note: Chapter 70.39 RCW was repealed by 1982 c 223 s 10, effective June 30, 1990.

Effective date—2026 c 268: See note following RCW 28B.15.210.

Severability—Effective dates—1993 sp.s. c 24: See notes following RCW 28A.310.020.

Effective dates—1991 sp.s. c 13: See note following RCW 18.04.105.