Sec. 61.0045. INFORMATION NECESSARY TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY. (a) Any provider, including a mandated provider, public hospital, or hospital district, that delivers health care services to a patient who the provider suspects is an eligible resident of the service area of a county, hospital district, or public hospital under this chapter may require the patient to:

(1) provide any information necessary to establish that the patient is an eligible resident of the service area of the county, hospital district, or public hospital; and

(2) authorize the release of any information relating to the patient, including medical information and information obtained under Subdivision (1), to permit the provider to submit a claim to the county, hospital district, or public hospital that is liable for payment for the services as described by Section 61.033 or 61.060.

(b) A county, hospital district, or public hospital that receives information obtained under Subsection (a) shall use the information to determine whether the patient to whom services were provided is an eligible resident of the service area of the county, hospital district, or public hospital and, if so, shall pay the claim made by the provider to the extent that the county, hospital district, or public hospital is liable under Section 61.033 or 61.060.

(c) The application, documentation, and verification procedures established by the department for counties under Section 61.006 may include a standard format for obtaining information under Subsection (a) to facilitate eligibility and residence determinations.

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1377, Sec. 1.03, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 916 (H.B. 2963), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2009.