§ 12-30-7-34 — Patients from counties without health centers; treatment for tuberculosis or other chronic diseases; application; examination; charges; financial investigation

(a) An individual who:
(1) resides in a county where there is no health center; and
(2) desires treatment in a health center as provided for in this
chapter;
may apply for treatment to the county auditor or official visitor of the
county, on a form to be provided by the official visitor. An application
submitted under this section must be accompanied by a signed
certificate stating that the applicant has been examined by a physician
and that in the physician's opinion the patient is suffering from
tuberculosis or other chronic disease.
(b) The auditor shall, upon receipt of an application and certificate
filed under subsection (a), forward the certificate to the board of
commissioners. If the board of commissioners find that the facts
contained in the application are true, the board of commissioners shall
make a record of the application and forward the application to the
health center administrator. If the patient is accepted by the health
center, the board of commissioners shall provide transportation for the
patient and shall provide for the patient's maintenance in the health
center at the rate provided for in the contract.
(c) Upon receiving an application for the admission of a patient
from the board of commissioners of any other county, the administrator
of a health center shall request that the patient appear in person for an
examination at the health center if:
(1) it appears from the application that the applicant is suffering
from tuberculosis or other chronic disease;
(2) there is a vacancy in the health center; and
(3) there is no pending application from a patient residing in the
county in which the health center is located.
(d) If upon examination of the patient by the medical staff of the
health center the administrator is satisfied that the patient is suffering
from tuberculosis or other chronic disease, the administrator shall
admit the patient to the health center.
(e) A patient admitted under this section is a charge against the
board of commissioners of the county sending the patient, at a rate
fixed by the board of commissioners, and the bill shall, when verified,
be paid by the auditor of the contracting county.
(f) The board of commissioners of the contracting county shall
cause an investigation to be made into the financial circumstances of
the patient and the relatives legally liable for the patient's support and
may collect from the relatives, in whole or in part, according to the
financial ability of the relatives, the cost of the maintenance of the
patient in the health center.
[Pre-1992 Revision Citation: 12-4-6-12.]

Legislative History

As added by P.L.2-1992, SEC.24.