05 LC 33
0711
House
Bill 909
By:
Representatives Brown of the
69th
and Shaw of the
176th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Article 6 of Chapter 8 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to the Indigent Care Trust Fund, so as to provide for
reimbursement for ambulance services for Medicaid recipients as an authorized
expenditure from the Indigent Care Trust Fund; to amend Article 7 of Chapter 4
of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the "Georgia Medical
Assistance Act of 1977," so as to provide for definitions; to provide for
certain payments for ambulance services for recipients of medical assistance; to
provide for the increase of license fees in the event of insufficient funding
for ambulance services reimbursement; to provide for related matters; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Article
6 of Chapter 8 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to the Indigent Care Trust Fund, is amended by striking Code Section 31-8-154,
relating to authorized expenditure of contributed funds, and inserting in its
place the following:
"31-8-154.
All
moneys contributed and revenues deposited and transferred to the trust fund
pursuant to this article and any interest earned on such moneys shall be
appropriated to the department for only the following purposes:
(1)
To expand Medicaid eligibility and services;
(2)
For programs to support rural and other health care providers, primarily
hospitals, who serve the medically indigent;
(3)
For primary health care programs for medically indigent citizens and children of
this state;
or
(4)
Any combination of purposes specified in paragraphs (1) through (3) of this Code
section;
or
(5)
To cover insufficiencies in funding for reimbursement of ambulance services,
both ground and air, provided to a recipient of medical assistance in accordance
with Code Section
49-4-158."
SECTION
2.
Article
7 of Chapter 4 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the
"Georgia Medical Assistance Act of 1977," is amended by inserting a new Code
section to be designated Code Section 49-4-158 to read as follows:
"49-4-158.
(a)
As used in this Code section, the term:
(1)
'Ambulance services' shall have the same meaning as provided for under medicare;
provided, however, that the department shall have the authority to interpret
such term for purposes of this Code section.
(2)
'Levels of ambulance service' shall have the same meaning as provided for under
medicare; provided, however, that the department shall have the authority to
interpret such term for purposes of this Code section.
(3)
'Medicare' means coverage under both Parts A and B of Title XVIII of the Social
Security Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 1395, et seq., as amended, and as provided for
in Subchapter B of Chapter 4 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal
Regulations.
(b)
The department shall reimburse an ambulance provider, licensed pursuant to
Article 1 of Chapter 11 of Title 31, an amount equal to or greater than the
amount paid under medicare, at any given time, for ambulance services provided
to a recipient of medical assistance in accordance with the appropriate level of
ambulance service.
(c)
In the event that there are insufficient funds to cover the costs incurred
pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section, the department shall determine
the amount of such insufficiency and shall notify the Board of Human Resources
of such amount. Upon notification, the Board of Human Resources shall be
responsible for increasing license fees pursuant to Code Section 31-11-31.1 in
an amount intended to cover the insufficiency. This increase shall not be
greater than the medicare inflation index charge-customary percentage published
in the Federal Register for that calendar year. The department shall be
authorized to utilize funds from the Indigent Care Trust Fund to cover an
insufficiency in funding pursuant to Code Section
31-8-154."
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.