HOUSE BILL No. 4558

 

March 10, 2009, Introduced by Rep. Green and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

     A bill to amend 1846 RS 171, entitled

 

"Of county jails and the regulation thereof,"

 

by amending sections 4 and 4a (MCL 801.4 and 801.4a), as amended by

 

2006 PA 20.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 4. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) this section

 

and sections 5 and 5a, all charges and expenses of safekeeping and

 

maintaining prisoners and persons charged with an offense, shall be

 

paid from the county treasury, the accounts therefor being first

 

settled and allowed by the county board of commissioners.

 

     (2) If medical care or treatment is provided to an individual

 

described in subsection (1) while that individual is in the

 

physical custody of a law enforcement agency other than the county

 


sheriff's department, or the state department of corrections, the

 

cost of that medical care or treatment is the responsibility of the

 

law enforcement agency or department that has physical custody of

 

the individual when the cost is incurred.

 

     (3) The medical care or treatment that the county is liable

 

for under subsection (1) is limited to those medical care or

 

treatment services that the state would provide to eligible

 

recipients under the medicaid program. As used in this subsection,

 

"medicaid" means benefits under the program for medical assistance

 

established under title XIX of the social security act, 42 USC 1396

 

to 1396v, and administered by the department of community health

 

under the social welfare act, 1939 PA 280, MCL 400.1 to 400.119b.

 

     (4) (2) If medical care or treatment is provided to an

 

individual described in subsection (1), the health care provider

 

shall make a reasonable effort to determine whether that individual

 

is covered by a health care policy, a certificate of insurance, or

 

other source for the payment of medical expenses. If the county

 

sheriff who has custody over the individual is aware that the

 

individual is covered by any health care policy, certificate of

 

insurance, or other source of payment, the sheriff shall provide

 

that information to the health care provider. If the health care

 

provider determines that the individual, at the time of admission

 

or treatment, is a medicaid recipient or a beneficiary of any

 

health care policy, certificate of insurance, or other source for

 

the payment of some or all of those expenses, the health care

 

provider shall first seek reimbursement from that source, subject

 

to the terms and conditions of the applicable health care policy,

 


certificate of insurance, or medicaid contract, before submitting

 

those expenses to the county. When submitting an invoice to the

 

county for the payment of medical expenses under this section, a

 

health care provider shall provide a statement that the health care

 

provider has made a reasonable effort to determine whether the

 

individual was covered by a health care policy, certificate of

 

insurance, or other source for the payment of medical expenses. A

 

county may enter into agreements with health care providers to

 

establish procedures for the submission of invoices for medical

 

expenses under this section and the payment of those invoices. A

 

county's liability for medical care or services under subsection

 

(1) does not constitute coverage by a health plan for purposes of

 

private health insurance or participation in indigent care

 

agreements, and does not relieve private health insurance providers

 

from any obligations under a policy of health insurance.

 

     Sec. 4a. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) this section

 

and sections 5 and 5a, all charges and expenses of safekeeping and

 

maintaining persons in the county jail charged with violations of

 

city, village, or township ordinances shall be paid from the county

 

treasury if a district court of the first or second class has

 

jurisdiction of the offense.

 

     (2) If medical care or treatment is provided to an individual

 

described in subsection (1) while that individual is in the

 

physical custody of a law enforcement agency other than the county

 

sheriff's department, or the state department of corrections, the

 

cost of that medical care or treatment is the responsibility of the

 

law enforcement agency or department that has physical custody of

 


the individual when the cost is incurred.

 

     (3) The medical care or treatment that the county is liable

 

for under subsection (1) is limited to those medical care or

 

treatment services that the state would provide to eligible

 

recipients under the medicaid program. As used in this subsection,

 

"medicaid" means benefits under the program for medical assistance

 

established under title XIX of the social security act, 42 USC 1396

 

to 1396v, and administered by the department of community health

 

under the social welfare act, 1939 PA 280, MCL 400.1 to 400.119b.

 

     (4) (2) If medical care or treatment is provided to an

 

individual described in subsection (1), the health care provider

 

shall make a reasonable effort to determine whether that individual

 

is covered by a health care policy, a certificate of insurance, or

 

other source for the payment of medical expenses. If the county

 

sheriff who has custody over the individual is aware that the

 

individual is covered by any health care policy, certificate of

 

insurance, or other source of payment, the sheriff shall provide

 

that information to the health care provider. If the health care

 

provider determines that the individual, at the time of admission

 

or treatment, is a medicaid recipient or a beneficiary of any

 

health care policy, certificate of insurance, or other source for

 

the payment of some or all of those expenses, the health care

 

provider shall first seek reimbursement from that source, subject

 

to the terms and conditions of the applicable health care policy,

 

certificate of insurance, or medicaid contract, before submitting

 

those expenses to the county. When submitting an invoice to the

 

county for the payment of medical expenses under this section, a

 


health care provider shall provide a statement that the health care

 

provider has made a reasonable effort to determine whether the

 

individual was covered by a health care policy, certificate of

 

insurance, or other source for the payment of medical expenses. A

 

county may enter into agreements with health care providers to

 

establish procedures for the submission of invoices for medical

 

expenses under this section and the payment of the invoices. A

 

county's liability for medical care or services under subsection

 

(1) does not constitute coverage by a health plan for purposes of

 

private health insurance or participation in indigent care

 

agreements, and does not relieve private health insurance providers

 

from any obligations under a policy of health insurance.