ORDER NO. 31819 INDIGENT HEALTH POLICY Came to be heard this the 9th day of August, 2010, with a motion made by Commissioner Letz, seconded by Commissioner Baldwin, the Court unanimously approved by a vote of 4 -0 -0 to: Approve updates to Kerr County Indigent Health Policy to become effective September 1, 2010, and authorize the publication of the required public notice as required by law. I COMMISSIONERS' COURT AGENDA REQUEST PLEASE FURNISH ONE ORIGINAL AND NINE COPIES OF THIS REQUEST AND DOCUMENTS TO BE REVIEWED BY THE COURT. MADE BY: Rosa Lavender OFFICE: Indigent Health MEETING DATE: Aug. 9, 2010 TIME PREFERRED: Anytime SUBJECT: Consider, Discuss and Approve proposed updates to the Kerr County Indigent Health Policy to become effective September 1, 2010, and authorize the publication of the required public notice as required by law. EXECUTIVE SESSION REQUESTED: (PLEASE STATE REASON) NAME OF PERSON ADDRESSING THE COURT: Rosa Lavender ESTIMATED LENGTH OF PRESENTATION: 3 minutes IF PERSONNEL MATTER - NAME OF EMPLOYEE: Time for submitting this request for Court to assure that the matter is posted in accordance with Title 5, Chapter 551 and 552, Government Code, is as follows: Meeting scheduled for Mondays: 5:00 P.M. previous Tuesday. THIS REQUEST RECEIVED BY: THIS REQUEST RECEIVED ON: @ All Agenda Requests will be screened by the County Judge's Office to determine if adequate information has been prepared for the Court's formal consideration and action at time of Court Meetings. Your cooperation will be appreciated and contribute towards you request being addressed at the earliest opportunity. See Agenda Request Rules Adopted by Commissioners' Court. KERR COUNTY INDIGENT HEALTH CARE POLICY (This policy, adopted by Kerr County Commissioners' Court at the regular meeting on August 9, 2010, shall become effective September 1, 2010.) The Kerr County Indigent Health Program is established with an application, documentation, and verification process based on Texas Department of State Health Services ( TDSHS) guidelines established Chapter 61 of the Health and Safety Code. Chapter 61, the Indigent Health Care and Treatment Act was passed in 1986 by the 69 Texas Legislature. All Applicants and Qualified Clients are required to comply with all State and County policies and guidelines to receive services through the Kerr County Indigent Health Program. The Kerr County Indigent Health Program will be referred to as KCIHP in the remainder of this policy document. KCIHP is a county -based program providing basic services according to the TDSHS guidelines and does not offer any optional services. KCIHP has a maximum county liability per client for each state fiscal year (September 1 to August 31) for health services provided by all assistance providers, including hospital and skilled nursing facility. Kerr County requires any provider to obtain approval from KCIHP before providing non- emergency care services to an eligible person. Kerr County requires any provider who delivers emergency services to a patient who might be eligible for KCIHP assistance to notify KCIHP within the timeframe set by Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 61.032 that emergency services have been or will be provided to the patient. Any provider who delivers services to an eligible person without complying with the requirements of the Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 61.031, .032 shall not be eligible for payment for the services from Kerr County. Eligibility must (by law) be determined within 14 days of application completion date. KCIHP will consider four eligibility criteria for determination of eligibility: Residence, Household, Income and Resources. KCIHP Residency Requirements (may include but are not limited to): • Mail addressed and delivered to the applicant's physical address. No post office box addresses are acceptable. • Texas driver's license or other state issued photo identification showing current Kerr County address. • Rent or mortgage payment receipt showing applicant's name and address of property and date of occupancy. • Kerr County property tax receipt for the most recent tax year • Kerr County voter registration card showing current address • School enrollment records KCIHP Household Requirements (may include but are not limited to): • A KCIHP household may be a person living alone or two or more persons living together where legal responsibility for support exists, excluding disqualified persons. Verification of household is required. • Legal responsibility for support exists between persons who are legally married, a legal parent and a minor child, or a managing conservator and a minor child. KCIHP Income Requirements • A household must pursue and accept all income to which the household is legally entitled. • The income of all household members is considered in determining eligibility. • Monthly Income Standards will be based on the annual Federal Poverty Guidelines and are established by the Texas Department of Health. • Verification of income may include but is not limited to requests for paycheck stubs, statements from employers, W -2 forms, verification of cash contributions, checking or savings account information, life or health insurance policy information showing current value, business records, award letters, court orders or public decrees, sales records, income tax returns or statements completed, signed and dated by the self - employed person. KCIHP Resources Requirements • A household must pursue all resources to which the household is legally entitled unless it is unreasonable to pursue the resource. Indigent health care should be considered the source of last resort. • The resources of all household members are considered. Proof of resources may be required. KCIHP Policies • All applicants for KCIHP will be required to visit the county's indigent health office in the basement of the Kerr County Courthouse annex for an interview. If the applicant misses the interview appointment the application will be denied and applicant will have to reapply. If approved, a photo identification card will be generated for the applicant by the KCIHP office. • Applicants or Qualified Clients who are rude and display disruptive or abusive language or behavior will not be seen. Our personnel will be protected from dangerous situations. Physical or combative confrontations are grounds for denial or immediate termination from the Indigent Health Care Program. • All Qualified Clients are expected to comply with the medical regime proposed by the approved Kerr County medical provider's office or regime proposed by any specialist to whom they are referred. Qualified Clients will be terminated from the program for repeated non - compliance. • Eligibility reviews shall be done every 6 months but may be required at any interval of time less than the 6 months, as determined by KCIHP. • Persons covered under the Kerr County Indigent Health Program will be asked to share in the costs of their health care. $50 co -pay per hospital visit, $25 co -pay per doctor visit and $5 co -pay per prescription will be requested. Program participants will be encouraged to seek information on other low -cost prescription plans that are available through their providers. • No Qualified Clients shall receive any medications without periodic Primary Care Physician evaluation (three to six months) and Qualified Clients will be terminated from the program for illicit drug use and /or possession. Kerr County IHP reserves the right to limit or deny certain prescriptions to eligible clients. Physicians will be contacted if an issue arises related to the prescriptions. • Any Qualified Client arrested for prescription drug fraud or possession, manufacture or delivery of controlled substances in any "Penalty Group" defined under the Texas Health & Safety Code will be suspended from the prescription program until the case is adjudicated. Conviction of any of these crimes will mean the Qualified Client will be denied prescription benefits beginning the date he /she is adjudicated or placed on probation and continuing from that date until two years from the date of the adjudication or the end of the probation period, or two years from the release date from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice or county jail, if incarcerated. • Clients may also be terminated from the Indigent Health Program for continued alcohol abuse as evidenced by alcohol related arrests after qualifying for KCIHP. • Persons on KCIHP or new applicants will have 14 days to report to our office: a. change in address b. change in income or resources c. change in the number of people living in the household d. any application for or receipt or denial of : Medicaid SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) (formerly Food Stamps) TANF SSI FAILURE TO REPORT CHANGES WILL JEOPARDIZE ELIGIBILITY AND COULD LEAD TO CRIMINAL CHARGES. • Applicants will be required to sign an affidavit swearing to the accuracy of information provided in the application process. The affidavit will be notarized at no cost to the applicant. A person who provides false information will be banned from re- applying for indigent health care in Kerr County for a period of two years. Giving false information on an application could lead to criminal charges. • Applicants will be subject to background checks to include screening under www.yourtexasbenefits.com and http : //best.ssa.800 • The filing of an application for KCIHP or the receipt of services constitutes an assignment of the applicant's or recipient's right of recovery from personal insurance or other sources. An applicant or recipient shall inform the county at the time of application or any time during eligibility, of any unsettled tort claim that may affect medical needs and of any private accident or sickness insurance coverage that is or may become available. Notice must be given to KCIHP within 10 days of the date the person learns of the insurance coverage, tort claim or potential cause of action. • If an applicant is denied coverage, the person will have 90 days to file a written appeal with KCIHP. The form will be provided by KCIHP. An appeals committee will review the application and written appeal. A hearing will be scheduled with the applicant. The review committee will be made up of two unbiased residents of Kerr County. The KCIHP coordinator will be in the hearing as a resource only. • Kerr County may, by state law, designate providers for indigent health care recipients. Out -of- county care will require prior approval and a referral in writing from a Kerr County physician or meet one of three criteria (an emergency situation, when medical care is not available in Kerr County, or when care in Kerr County would be medically inappropriate). KCIHP will not pay any out -of- state hospital expenses. • KCIHP requires dispensing of generic prescriptions, if there is a generic available. A physician can request the name -brand as part of the prescription but the KCIHC recipient cannot make the choice. Medications that are available in an over - the - counter form will not be covered. KCIHP will not cover smoking cessation, erectile dysfunction, over -the counter diabetic supplies, weight loss medications or other optional medications available either by prescription or over - the - counter,. Prescriptions are limited to a total of three per month for each IHC recipient. If a physician writes the prescription for a 90 day supply, the prescription will count as one of the three for each of the three months. Dosage verification will be required for all prescriptions. HEB Pharmacy, 300 Main Street, Kerrville, has been designated by Kerr County as the pharmaceutical provider for KCIHP recipients. • Applicants for KCIHP benefits who are unemployed may be required to register with Alamo Workforce Solutions for job eligibility or training and show proof of actively seeking employment as required under the TANF guidelines. If applicant is unable to work, a letter of documentation from the physician will be required. The letter should state specifically that the applicant is not able to work and the estimated duration of the temporary disability. • Applicants may also be directed to seek services from the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) or ask Social Security to determine whether they are eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance/Medicare. • For claim payments to be considered, a claim must be received in the KCIHP office no later than 95 days from (1) the date of service, for services provided after the date of approval, or (2) the date of approval, for services provided before the household was approved. Updated July 12, 2010