26:2H-18.27. "New Jersey Health Care Trust Fund" established

There is established the "New Jersey Health Care Trust Fund" in the Department of Health.

a. The fund shall be comprised of assessments remitted by hospitals pursuant to this act and any other monies appropriated thereto to carry out the purposes of this act.

The fund shall be a nonlapsing fund dedicated for use by the State: (1) to distribute payments for the cost of uncompensated care in the State, (2) to subsidize a pilot health insurance program for small business employees, (3) to fund the reasonable cost of administering the fund, (4) to fund the reasonable cost of preparing and disseminating health insurance information to employers pursuant to section 17 of P.L.1991, c.187 (C.26:2H-18.39) and (5) to fund primary health care provided by community health centers, on a pilot basis, pursuant to section 23 of P.L.1991, c.187 (C.26:2H-18.45); except that, monies remitted by hospitals pursuant to this act shall not be used for the purpose of subsidizing pilot health insurance programs for small business employees. Interest earned on monies deposited in the fund shall be credited to the fund.

b. The fund shall be administered by a person appointed by the commissioner.

The administrator of the fund is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the collection and disbursement of fund monies. The administrator is responsible for promptly informing the commission and the Commissioners of Health and Human Services if monies are not or are not reasonably expected to be collected or disbursed or if the fund's reserve as established in subsection c. of this section falls below the required level.

c. The fund shall maintain a reserve in an amount not to exceed $25 million. The commissioner shall adopt rules and regulations to govern the use of the reserve and to ensure the integrity of the fund, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).

L.1991,c.187,s.4; per s.86 as amended by 1992, c.160, s.27, expired December 31, 1992.