RD7 - Annual Report on the Estimated Costs of the State/Local Hospitalization Program


Executive Summary:
The State/Local Hospitalization Program (SLH) is a cooperative effort between the State and local governments designed to provide coverage for inpatient and outpatient hospital care, care in approved ambulatory surgical centers, and care provided in local health departments. It became a mandatory statewide program in 1989. The services covered by the SLH program are the same as the hospital and health department related services available to Medicaid recipients including:

• Acute care inpatient hospital services (excluding rehabilitation and free-standing psychiatric hospitals);
• Acute care outpatient services;
• Ambulatory surgical services; and
• Department of Health clinic services.

All counties and cities are required to participate in financing the SLH Program. Coverage for SLH health care services is only available to low-income people who are not Medicaid recipients. A person may be eligible for the SLH Program whether employed or unemployed, insured or uninsured, if the person meets the income and resource criteria established for the program.