§22-21-293. Financial responsibility for out-of-county indigent patients treated at a regional referral hospital.

Ultimate financial responsibility for treatment received at a regional referral hospital by a certified indigent patient, who is a resident of the State of Alabama but is not a resident of the county in which the regional referral hospital is located, shall be the obligation of the county of which the certified indigent patient is a resident. A county's annual financial responsibility for each of its resident certified indigent patients receiving treatment at a regional referral hospital shall be limited to payment for 30 days or the number of days of services allowed per annum for the care of Medicaid patients through the State Medicaid Program at the time of the patient's hospitalization, whichever shall be less, at the per diem reimbursement rate currently in effect for the regional referral hospital under the medical assistance program for the needy under Title XIX of the Social Security Act, as amended. No county shall be required to pay for services at a regional referral hospital when such services are available at a local hospital in the county where the indigent resides, except that the county where the indigent resides shall be liable for the cost of treatment provided to said certified indigent at a regional referral hospital for any emergency medical condition which will deteriorate from failure to provide such treatment and when such condition is determined by the attending physician to be of an emergency nature. Provided however, no county shall be required to pay for services at a regional referral hospital for any patient that has received medical assistance during the current year through the State Medicaid Program. Provided, further, no county shall be required to pay for services at a regional referral hospital for any patient until all third party payors have paid all they are obligated to pay under any contract of insurance or otherwise.

(Acts 1979, No. 79-808, p. 1487, §4; Acts 1980, No. 80-466, p. 729.)