sb60_AP_9.html

07 SB60/AP

Senate Bill 60

By: Senators Staton of the 18th, Johnson of the 1st, Adelman of the 42nd, Unterman of the 45th, Bulloch of the 11th and others

AS PASSED

AN ACT

To amend Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, so as to establish the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission; to provide for its composition, membership, duties, and responsibilities; to create the Georgia Trauma Trust Fund and provide for its management and use; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, is amended by adding a new Article 5 to Chapter 11 to read as follows:

"ARTICLE 5

31-11-100.

As used in this article, the term:

(1) 'Trauma center' means a facility designated by the Department of Human Resources as a Level I, II, III, or IV trauma center.

(2) 'Trauma patient' means a patient who is on the State Trauma Registry or the National Trauma Registry of the American College of Surgeons.

(3) 'Trauma service codes' means the ICDA-9-CM discharge codes designated as trauma service codes by the American College of Surgeons, Committee on Trauma.

(4) 'Uncompensated' means care provided by a designated trauma center, emergency medical services provider, or physician to a trauma patient as defined by the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission who:

(A) Has no medical insurance, including federal Medicare Part B coverage;

(B) Is not eligible for medical assistance coverage;

(C) Has no medical coverage for trauma care through workers´ compensation, automobile insurance, or any other third party, including any settlement or judgment resulting from such coverage; and

(D) Has not paid for the trauma care provided by the trauma provider after documented attempts by the trauma care services provider to collect payment.

31-11-101.

(a) There is created the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission which is assigned to the Department of Human Resources for administrative purposes only, as prescribed in Code Section 50-4-3. The commission shall consist of nine members who shall be appointed as provided in this Code section. Five members shall be appointed by the Governor. The Governor shall include among his or her appointees a physician who is actively involved in providing emergency trauma care, a representative of a hospital that is a designated trauma center, and a representative of a state 9-1-1 zone licensed emergency medical services provider. Two members shall be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor. Two members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. In making the initial appointments, the Governor shall appoint three members for a term of four years and two members for a term of two years, the Lieutenant Governor shall appoint one member for a term of four years and one member for a term of two years, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint one member for a term of four years and one member for a term of two years. Thereafter, persons appointed to succeed the initial members shall serve four-year terms of office. The Governor shall appoint one of the members to serve as the chairperson of the commission.

(b) The commission shall meet upon the call of the chairperson or upon the request of three members. The commission shall organize itself as it deems appropriate and may elect additional officers from among its members.

(c) Any vacancy on the commission shall be filled for the unexpired term by appointment by the original appointing authority.

(d) Members of the commission shall serve without compensation but shall receive the same expense allowance per day as that received by a member of the General Assembly for each day such member of the commission is in attendance at a meeting of such commission, plus either reimbursement for actual transportation costs while traveling by public carrier or the same mileage allowance for use of a personal car in connection with such attendance as members of the General Assembly receive. Such expense and travel allowance shall be paid in lieu of any per diem, allowance, or other remuneration now received by any such member for such attendance.

31-11-102.

The Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission shall have the following duties and responsibilities:

(1) To apply for, receive, and administer state funds appropriated to the commission and federal funds and grants, private grants and donations, and other funds and donations. The commission´s annual distributions shall be capped and limited to funds received from the sources specified in this paragraph. The commission shall ensure that its funds are not used as a supplement or secondary payor to any other third-party payor;

(2) For the first two fiscal years in which funds are appropriated to the commission for distribution, to distribute such funds in the following areas with the priority for distribution to be set by majority vote of the commission:

(A) Physician uncompensated trauma care services provided in designated trauma centers;

(B) Emergency medical service uncompensated trauma care services provided to patients transported to designated trauma centers;

(D) Trauma care readiness costs for designated or certified trauma care service providers; and

(E) Trauma care service start-up costs for providers seeking a trauma care designation or certification,

The commission shall adopt a formula that prioritizes the distribution of state appropriated funds that may be implemented during the third state fiscal year in which funds are appropriated to the commission for distribution. Such formula shall be evaluated and modified, if needed, every two years thereafter;

(3) To develop, implement, administer, and maintain a system to compensate designated trauma centers for a portion of their cost of readiness through a semiannual distribution from the Georgia Trauma Trust Fund in a standardized amount determined by the commission. The standardized amounts shall be determined according to designation level and shall be capped at that specific amount. Initially, such standardized amount shall be based upon a three-year average of annual trauma cases, annual amount of uncompensated trauma care services administered, and a three-year annual average cost of readiness. Such criteria may be changed by a majority vote of the commission. Total annual distributions for trauma center and emergency medical service readiness shall be capped at an amount set by the commission. However, the standards developed by the commission for readiness shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

(A) Criteria assuring the trauma fund is a payor of last resort;

(B) Criteria assuring that all other resources must be exhausted before the trauma funds are allocated; and

(C) Criteria assuring that trauma funds must be used to meet a verified need that assists the trauma center to maintain a trauma center designation;

(4) To develop, implement, administer, and maintain a system to provide additional designated trauma center compensation to cover trauma center costs not associated with readiness based upon an application and review based process. These distributions shall be capped and limited to semiannual appropriations received by the commission. Designated trauma centers shall submit an application for trauma funds reimbursement semiannually. The application process developed by the commission for such costs shall include, but is not limited to, the following:

(A) Criteria assuring that the trauma fund is a payor of last resort;

(B) Criteria assuring that trauma funds shall be used for reimbursement for services provided to designated trauma patients;

(D) Criteria assuring that trauma funds used for reimbursement for trauma care costs shall be on a fee schedule or grant basis; provided, however, that no reimbursement shall exceed the average rate reimbursed for similar services under the State Health Benefit Plan; and

(E) Criteria that require the trauma center to submit a semiannual report documenting and verifying the use of such funds;

(5) To develop, implement, administer, and maintain a system to compensate physicians who provide uncompensated call and trauma care services. This reimbursement shall be distributed on a semiannual basis and paid on a formula to be set by the commission. The call hours must be documented and verified by the trauma director at the appropriate trauma center in order to receive such funds. The formula developed by the commission for reimbursement shall include, but is not limited to, the following:

(A) Criteria assuring that the trauma fund is a payor of last resort;

(B) Criteria assuring that trauma funds shall be used for reimbursement for services provided to designated trauma patients;

(C) Criteria assuring that trauma funds used for reimbursement for physician costs shall be on a fee schedule or grant basis; provided, however, that no reimbursement shall exceed the average rate reimbursed for similar services under the State Health Benefit Plan; and

(D) Criteria assuring that trauma funds shall be used for reimbursement for trauma service codes;

(6) To reserve and disburse additional moneys to increase the number of participants in the Georgia trauma system. These funds shall be disbursed through an application process to cover partial start-up costs for nondesignated acute care facilities to enter the system as Level II, III, or IV trauma centers. The application process developed by the commission for start-up costs shall include, but is not limited to, the following:

(A) Criteria assuring that the trauma fund is a payor of last resort;

(B) Criteria assuring that all other resources for start-up costs must be exhausted before the trauma funds are allocated;

(C) Criteria assuring that the distribution of trauma funds will result in the applicant´s achieving a trauma designation as defined by the commission within the time frame specified on the application;

(D) Criteria assuring and verifying that the Department of Human Resources has determined that there is a need for an additional trauma center with the designation that the applicant is seeking; and

(E) Criteria assuring that no more than 15 percent of the total annual distribution from the trauma fund total shall be distributed for new trauma center development;

(7)(A) To develop, implement, administer, and maintain a system to compensate members of the emergency medical service transportation community for readiness and uncompensated trauma care.

(B) The compensation for the cost of readiness shall be through an application process adopted by the commission. The application process developed by the commission for readiness costs shall include, but is not limited to, the following:

(i) Criteria assuring that the trauma fund is a payor of last resort;

(ii) Criteria assuring that all other resources for readiness costs must be exhausted before the trauma funds are allocated;

(iii) Criteria assuring that the distribution of trauma funds will result in the applicant´s achieving certification as defined by the commission within the time frame specified on the application; and

(iv) Criteria assuring and verifying that the Department of Human Resources has determined that there is a need for an additional emergency medical services with the certification that the applicant is seeking.

(C) The commission shall develop a formula for reimbursing emergency medical services uncompensated trauma care services. The formula developed by the commission for reimbursement shall include, but is not limited to, the following:

(i) Criteria assuring that the trauma fund is a payor of last resort;

(ii) Criteria assuring that trauma funds shall be used for reimbursement for services provided to designated trauma patients; and

(iii) Criteria assuring that trauma funds used for reimbursement of emergency medical service costs shall be on a fee schedule or grant basis; provided, however, that no reimbursement shall exceed the average rate reimbursed for similar services under the State Health Benefit Plan;

(8) To appropriate, out of the Georgia Trauma Trust Fund, annual moneys for investment in a system specifically for trauma transportation. The purpose of this system is to provide transport to trauma victims where current options are limited. The commission shall promulgate rules and regulations for such system and shall pursue contracts with existing state transportation structures or create a contractual arrangement with existing transportation organizations. The commission shall also be responsible for creating, maintaining, and overseeing a foundation to raise funds specifically for investment in this system and overall trauma funding;

(9) To act as the accountability mechanism for the entire Georgia trauma system, primarily overseeing the flow of funds from the Georgia Trauma Trust Fund into the system. The State Office of EMS/Trauma shall receive an annual distribution from the commission of not more than 3 percent of the total annual distribution from the fund in the fiscal year. These funds shall be used for the administration of an adequate system for monitoring state-wide trauma care, recruitment of trauma care service providers into the network as needed, and for research as needed to continue to operate and improve the system;

(10) To coordinate its activities with the Department of Human Resources;

(11) To employ and manage staff and consultants in order to fulfill its duties and responsibilities under this article;

(12) To establish, maintain, and administer a trauma center network to coordinate the best use of existing trauma facilities in this state and to direct patients to the best available facility for treatment of traumatic injury;

(13) To coordinate, assist, establish, maintain, and administer programs designed to educate the citizens of this state on trauma prevention;

(14) To coordinate and assist in the collection of data to evaluate the provision of trauma care services in this state;

(15) To study the provision of trauma care services in this state to determine the best practices and methods of providing such services, to determine what changes are needed to improve the provision of trauma care services, and to report any proposed legislative changes to the General Assembly each year; and

(16) To employ an executive director and other staff and to establish duties and responsibilities of such persons.

31-11-103.

There is established the Georgia Trauma Trust Fund. The executive director of the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission shall serve as the trustee of the Georgia Trauma Trust Fund. The moneys deposited into such fund pursuant to this article may be expended by the executive director with the approval of the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission for those purposes specified in Code Section 31-11-102."

SECTION 2.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.