249J.15 - TASK FORCE ON INDIGENT CARE.
249J.15 TASK FORCE ON INDIGENT CARE.
1. The department shall convene a task force on indigent care to
identify any growth in uncompensated care due to the implementation
of this chapter and to identify any local funds that are being used
to pay for uncompensated care that could be maximized through a match
with federal funds.
2. Any public, governmental or nongovernmental, private,
for-profit, or not-for-profit health services provider or payor,
whether or not enrolled in the medical assistance program, and any
organization of such providers or payors, may become a member of the
task force. Membership on the task force shall require that an
entity agree to provide accurate, written information and data
relating to each of the following items for the fiscal year of the
entity ending on or before June 30, 2005, and for each fiscal year
thereafter during which the entity is a member:
a. The definition of indigent care used by the member for
purposes of reporting the data described in this subsection.
b. The actual cost of indigent care as determined under
Medicare principles of accounting or any accounting standard used by
the member to report the member's financial status to its governing
body, owner, members, creditors, or the public.
c. The usual and customary charge that would otherwise be
applied by the member to the indigent care provided.
d. The number of individuals and the age, sex, and county of
residence of the individuals receiving indigent care reported by the
member and a description of the care provided.
e. To the extent practical, the health status of the
individuals receiving the indigent care reported by the member.
f. The funding source of payment for the indigent care
including revenue from property tax or other tax revenue, local
funding, and other sources.
g. The extent to which any part of the cost of indigent care
reported by the member was paid for by the individual on a sliding
fee scale or other basis, by an insurer, or by another third-party
payor.
h. The means by which the member covered any of the costs of
indigent care not covered by those sources described in paragraph
"g".
3. The department shall convene the task force for a minimum of
eight meetings during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2005, and
during each fiscal year thereafter. For the fiscal year beginning
July 1, 2005, the department shall convene at least six of the
required meetings prior to March 1, 2006. The meetings shall be held
in geographically balanced venues throughout the state that are
representative of distinct rural, urban, and suburban areas.
4. The department shall provide the medical assistance
projections and assessment council created pursuant to section
249J.20 with all of the following, at intervals established by the
council:
a. A list of the members of the task force.
b. A copy of each member's written submissions of data and
information to the task force.
c. A copy of the data submitted by each member.
d. Any observations or recommendations of the task force
regarding the data.
e. Any observations and recommendations of the department
regarding the data.
5. The task force shall transmit an initial, preliminary report
of its efforts and findings to the governor and the general assembly
by March 1, 2006. The task force shall submit an annual report to
the governor and the general assembly by December 31 of each year.
6. The department shall, to the extent practical, assist task
force members in assembling and reporting the data required of
members, by programming the department's systems to accept, but not
pay, claims reported on standard medical assistance claims forms for
the indigent care provided by the members.
7. All meetings of the task force shall comply with chapter 21.
8. Information and data provided by a member to the task force
shall be protected to the extent required under the federal Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
9. The department shall inform the members of the task force that
costs associated with the work of the task force and with the
required activities of members may not be eligible for federal
matching funds. Section History: Recent Form
2005 Acts, ch 167, §16, 66