249J.15 - TASK FORCE ON INDIGENT CARE. - Iowa Statutes

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