Title III, SEC. 3481. PAYMENTS TO HOSPITALS. (a) Entitlement Status. The Secretary shall make payments in accordance with this part to eligible hospitals described in section 3482. The preceding sentence (1) is an entitlement in the Secretary on behalf of such eligible hospitals (but is not an entitlement in the State in which any such hospital is located or in any individual receiving services from any such hospital); and (2) constitutes budget authority in advance of appropriations Acts and represents the obligation of the Federal Government to provide funding for such payments in the amounts, and for the fiscal years, specified in subsection (b). (b) Amount of Entitlement. (1) In general. For purposes of subsection (a)(2), the amounts and fiscal years specified in this subsection are (in the aggregate for all eligible hospitals) $800,000,000 for the fiscal year in which the general effective date occurs and for each subsequent fiscal year. (2) Special rule for years before general effective date. (A) In general. For any fiscal year that begins prior to the general effective date, the amount specified in this subsection for purposes of subsection (a)(2) shall be equal to the aggregate DSH percentage of the amount otherwise determined under paragraph (1). (B) Aggregate DSH percentage defined. In subparagraph (A), the ``aggregate DSH percentage'' for a year is the amount (expressed as a percentage) equal to (i) the total amount of payment made by the Secretary under section 1903(a) of the Social Security Act during the base year with respect to payment adjustments made under section 1923(c) of such Act for hospitals in the States in which eligible hospitals for the year are located; divided by (ii) the total amount of payment made by the Secretary under section 1903(a) of such Act during the base year with respect to payment adjustments made under section 1923(c) of such Act for hospitals in all States. (c) Period of Payment. An eligible hospital shall receive a payment under this section for a period of 5 years, without regard to the year for which the hospital first receives a payment. (d) Payments Made on Quarterly Basis. Payments to an eligible hospital under this section for a year shall be made on a quarterly basis during the year.