§ 126-B — Public hospitals for chronically ill

* § 126-b. Public hospitals for chronically ill. 1. (a) The governing\nboard of a county or city may by resolution determine that there shall\nbe in such county or city a public hospital for the care and treatment\nof the chronically ill and make provision for the establishment and\noperation of such a hospital by such county or city in the same manner\nand in accordance with the same procedure as is prescribed by the\nprovisions of this article for the establishment and operation of public\ngeneral hospitals; and the provisions of sections one hundred\ntwenty-six, one hundred twenty-seven, one hundred twenty-eight, one\nhundred twenty-nine, one hundred thirty-one, one hundred thirty-two, one\nhundred thirty-three, one hundred thirty-five-a and one hundred\nthirty-five-b shall apply thereto except to the extent they shall be\ninconsistent therewith.\n (b) Provided the state board of social welfare shall approve, such\ncounty or city may use for the operation of such a hospital a building\nor buildings formerly used as a tuberculosis hospital or sanatorium or a\npart thereof.\n 2. (a) If such a hospital is established, provision shall be made for\nthe admission of patients thereto, upon the authorization of the\ncommissioner of public welfare of the county or city, as the case may\nbe, who are receiving public assistance or care from such commissioner\nor who may be determined to be needy by such commissioner in accordance\nwith the standards and criteria of his public welfare district pursuant\nto the provisions of the social welfare law, and for payment by such\ncommissioner for the cost of care provided such patients.\n (b) When a patient who is not the concern of the public welfare\ncommissioner is admitted, the superintendent shall cause to be made such\ninquiry as he may deem necessary relative to the ability of such\npatient, and of the relatives legally liable for his support, to pay for\nhis care and treatment. If he finds that such patient, or said\nrelatives, are able to pay for his care and treatment in whole or in\npart, an order shall be made by the superintendent directing such\npatient, or said relatives, to pay to the treasurer of such hospital for\nthe support of such patient a specified sum per week, in proportion to\ntheir financial ability, but such sum shall not exceed the actual cost\nof maintenance. The superintendent shall have the same power and\nauthority to collect such sums from the patient, or his relatives\nlegally liable for his support, as is possessed by a public welfare\nofficial in like circumstances. If the superintendent find that such\npatient, or his said relatives, are not able to pay, either in whole or\nin part, for his care and treatment in such hospital, the unpaid cost of\nhis maintenance shall become a charge upon the county or city by which\nthe hospital is maintained, but may be subject to chargeback to another\npublic welfare district pursuant to the provisions of the social welfare\nlaw. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to any person\nadmitted for care and treatment of tuberculosis, as defined and provided\nfor in the public health law.\n (c) No employee of such hospital shall accept from any patient thereof\nany fee, payment or gratuity whatsoever for his service.\n 3. (a) Whenever a county or city has, prior to the enactment of this\nsection, established a public hospital for the care of the chronically\nsick, the governing body of such county or city may by resolution\nprovide that such hospital shall thereafter be controlled and maintained\nin accordance with the provisions of this section and article.\n (b) Any public hospital for the care of the chronically sick which may\nhereafter be established by the governing board of any county or city\nshall be subject to the provisions of this section and article.\n * NB There are 2 § 126-b's\n