Published June 30, 2025
About This Audit
The Tobacco Settlement Act mandates that the Department of Human Services (DHS) provide payments to hospitals for uncompensated care. Bradford Regional Medical Center was assessed for eligibility for the 2026 Tobacco Settlement Payment using uncompensated care and extraordinary expense approaches. The uncompensated care method evaluates a hospital’s score based on several data elements, while the extraordinary expense method considers claims exceeding twice the average cost. However, Bradford Regional Medical Center did not have any eligible extraordinary expense claims for the 2026 payment year, but they may submit additional claims by October 2025. Data discrepancies found would affect the hospital’s eligibility. DHS uses verified claims and inpatient days to determine payment eligibility, allowing hospitals to choose their preferred calculation method if eligible under both approaches. The report extends gratitude for cooperation during the engagement and directs further inquiries to the Bureau of County Audits.