CHAPTER 747
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29, CHAPTER 66, SECTIONS 6601, 6602, 6603 AND 6604, DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO INDIGENT SICK.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Delaware:
Section 1. Chapter 66, Title 29, Delaware Code, enacted into law by House Bill No. 420 of the 125th General Assembly, which Bill appears as Chapter 228, Volume 57, Laws of Delaware, is amended by redesignating said Chapter 66 as Chapter 72 and by striking the present Sections 6601, 6602, 6603 and 6604 in their entirety and inserting in lieu thereof the following new sections:
§ 7201. Hospitals caring for indigent sick
Any and all hospitals located within each of the several counties which are not principally dependent for their maintenance and operation upon State or Federal appropriation are authorized to furnish any indigent person with proper medical or surgical care and attention, to be paid therefor in the manner provided in this chapter.
§ 7202. Records
Every hospital, qualifying under Section 7201 of this title, which furnishes medical or surgical care and attention to any indigent person shall keep a record thereof in the manner and form prescribed by the Budget Director showing the number of such indigent sick receiving medical or surgical care and attention, the name and residence of each such person, the dates the person was admitted to and discharged from the hospital and an itemized list showing all expenses incurred by the hospital for medical or surgical care and attention furnished such persons.
§ 7203. Audit of records by Department of Health and Social Services
Every hospital which desires to be paid by the State Treasurer for medical or surgical care and attention for any indigent sick resident, shall on or before the fifteenth clay of each month transmit to the Department of Health & Social Services a duly certified statement, as prescribed by the Budget Director, of the record required by Section 7202 of this title, for the preceding month, and the Department of Health & Social Services upon receipt thereof shall investigate the facts contained therein, and if they deem it proper or necessary in the making of their investigation, they may make an examination of the hospital's books, papers and account appertaining thereto. If, after such investigation, the Department of Health & Social Services is satisfied that the facts contained in the submitted record are true and correct, they shall approve for payment by the State Treasurer to the hospital of the amount shown to be due by the record; otherwise, the Department of Health & Social Services shall disapprove the same.
§ 7204. Payment by State Treasurer
The State Treasurer shall pay to each hospital qualified under section 7201 of this title, such amount shown to be due to it as shall be approved by the Department of Health & Social Services at such rate per day as shall be determined by the Budget Director in his discretion for each person receiving such medical or surgical care and attention. No money shall be paid to any hospital for any month until the amount due to all the hospitals for the preceding month has been fully determined and paid.
Section 2. This Act shall not in any way affect or amend Chapter 66, Title 22, Delaware Code, as enacted into law by House Bill No. 370 of the 125th General Assembly, which bill appears as Chapter 207, Volume 57, Laws of Delaware.
Approved July 23, 1970.