§ 40-6-3.2 - Form of assistance.
SECTION 40-6-3.2
§ 40-6-3.2 Form of assistance. – (a) General public assistance shall be provided in the form of:
(1) Financial assistance payable by check;
(2) Beginning on July 1, 1992, each hospital licensed underchapter 17 of title 23, other than state-operated hospitals, shall provide freeservices and charity care for reasonable and necessary inpatient and outpatienthospital services as the department by regulation requires to serve all personsseeking such services from such hospital who are determined to be eligible forgeneral public assistance. The latter shall be treated as free service andcharitable care. Each hospital shall, in addition, continue to provide freeservices and charitable care to other persons in accordance with eachhospital's charter and mission statement and with §§ 23-17-19.1(13)and 23-17-26. Eligibility for general public assistance shall be determined bythe department of human services. Each hospital required under this section toprovide services to individuals eligible for general public assistance shall,upon request of the auditor general of the state, provide the auditor generalwith such information as he or she shall request regarding the servicesprovided. The auditor general shall make annual reports to the financecommittees of the Rhode Island house and senate on general public assistancehospital care. The obligations of hospitals under this section shall terminatewhen vendor payments for hospitals have been restored;
(3) Vendor payment of medical assistance as the department byregulation determines for only the following reasonable and necessary medicalservices;
(4) Outpatient physician services and a limited formulary ofprescription drugs to be established by the department, when such services anddrugs are provided in, or approved by, an authorized health center, or by suchother providers and at such locations as may from time to time be designated bythe department. No payment shall be made for medical expenses incurred prior tothe date the individual makes written application for assistance.
(b) The department is authorized to promulgate rules andregulations to detect and prevent program abuse by recipients and providers ofassistance.