The Department of Social Services may, within available funds, make payments to all short-term general hospitals located in distressed municipalities. The payment amount for each hospital shall be determined by the Commissioner of Social Services based upon the ratio that the number of inpatient discharges paid by Medicaid on a fee-for-service basis to the hospital for the most recently filed cost report period bears to the total hospital discharges paid by Medicaid on a fee-for-service basis for all qualifying hospitals.