(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, to the extent permitted by federal law, reimbursement to hospitals for inpatient services rendered to Medi-Cal program beneficiaries between July 1, 1981 and June 30, 1982, shall be adjusted to provide that the average payment per discharge upon final settlement shall not exceed a rate of increase of 6 percent over the average payment per discharge at final settlement for services rendered during the period of July 1, 1980 to June 30, 1981.
(b) Interim payment rates to hospitals shall be adjusted on October 1, 1981, or as shortly thereafter as reasonably possible and consistent with federal law, to accomplish a rate of payment increase to hospitals for inpatient services for the period of July 1, 1981 to June 30, 1982, which is consistent with the provisions of this section.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the reimbursement principles employed by the department in final settlement pursuant to this section will be the methods in effect prior to October 1, 1981, for any services rendered prior to that time, and for services rendered between October 1, 1981, and June 30, 1982, that reimbursement principles be in accordance with the alternative methods adopted for use subsequent to October 1, 1981.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit adjustments to hospital reimbursement based upon volume or case mix changes.