HB 321, which became effective Oct. 1, 2019, requires tax-exempt hospitals to post an extensive list of finance-related information to the main page of the hospital’s website. The Department of Community Health finalized regulations implementing the requirements in December 2019. Hospitals are required to update the information by July 1 each year. As Georgia lawmakers consider policies related to hospitals, GHA encourages all hospitals to review their webpages to ensure the financial transparency information is up to date and make any necessary efforts to remain compliant. Documents from prior years are required to remain on the hospital’s website indefinitely.
While DCH declined to include GHA’s recommendations or clarifications in the final regulations, the Department’s General Counsel acknowledged it was reasonable for hospitals to follow industry guidance. GHA worked with the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals and the accounting firm Draffin & Tucker to develop the following optional resources for tax-exempt hospitals.