HHS revises Hill-Burton reporting form - Human and Health Service; Hill-Burton hospitals; Uncompensated Services Assurance Report - Brief Article

Healthcare Financial Management, Nov, 1991

The HHS Bureau of Health Resources Development has sent Hill-Burton hospitals a copy of its revised Uncompensated Services Assurance Report (Form HRSA-710) and instructions. Changes in the new form are based on Hill-Burton uncompensated services regulations that took effect Feb. 1, 1988. Facilities obligated under the general Hill-Burton uncompensated services regulations must complete and return the forms no later than 90 days after the end of each fiscal year in which a deficit occurs. Facilities that are obligated under the "waiver trust" provision must comply with the same deadline.

Information from the form is used to determine compliance with the uncompensated services regulations. A compliance review conducted by HHS regional offices will verify the reported information. The bureau stresses that is is essential to maintain all records needed to establish the creditability of uncompensated services accounts.

The revised form differs from the previous Form HRSA-710 in two ways: the reporting form now covers a single year rather than a three-year period; and the new form accommodates the deficit make-up provision of the regulations that requires a Title VI noncompliance deficit to be prorated over the number of years remaining in a facility's period of obligation.