| HOUSE AMENDED |
| PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 646, 1390, 1789 | PRINTER'S NO. 1828 |
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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY WARD, D. WHITE, EICHELBERGER, STACK, WASHINGTON, M. WHITE, MENSCH, VOGEL, ORIE, WAUGH, SOLOBAY, FONTANA, BREWSTER, KASUNIC AND SMUCKER, FEBRUARY 24, 2011 |
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| AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, DECEMBER 5, 2011 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An |
2 | act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public |
3 | welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in public assistance, |
4 | further providing for definitions; and, in public assistance, |
5 | providing for mileage reimbursement for individuals receiving |
6 | methadone treatment. |
7 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
8 | hereby enacts as follows: |
9 | Section 1. Section 402 of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, |
10 | No.21), known as the Public Welfare Code, is amended by adding |
11 | definitions to read: |
12 | Section 402. Definitions.--As used in this article, unless |
13 | the content clearly indicates otherwise: |
14 | * * * |
15 | "Medical assistance transportation program" means the program |
16 | funded in part by the Department of Public Welfare that provides |
17 | transportation to medical services for medical assistance |
18 | patients who have no other transportation available to them. |
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1 | "Methadone" means a synthetic opioid agonist which binds with |
2 | opioid receptors in the brain to initiate drug actions that |
3 | mimic the effects of opiates. |
4 | "Mileage reimbursement" means the reimbursement provided to |
5 | an individual who uses a personal vehicle in order for the |
6 | individual to receive methadone treatment at a licensed provider |
7 | of service. |
8 | "Narcotic treatment program" means a program for chronic drug |
9 | users that either administers or dispenses agents under a |
10 | narcotic treatment physician's order for detoxification or |
11 | maintenance purposes, or provides a comprehensive range of |
12 | medical and rehabilitative services to alleviate adverse |
13 | medical, psychological or physical effects incident to an |
14 | addiction to narcotics, or both. |
15 | * * * |
16 | "Paratransit service" means any personal transportation |
17 | service operating on a nonfixed route basis, excluding mileage |
18 | reimbursement or volunteer-driven rides. |
19 | * * * |
20 | Section 2. The act is amended by adding a section to read: |
21 | Section 443.11. Mileage Reimbursement and Paratransit |
22 | Services for Individuals Receiving Methadone Treatment.--(a) An |
23 | individual receiving methadone treatment by a licensed provider, |
24 | pursuant to a narcotic treatment program, shall be eligible for |
25 | mileage reimbursement or paratransit services only if the | <-- |
26 | treatment is received at the treatment program closest to the |
27 | individual's residence based on a one-way trip calculation. the | <-- |
28 | following: |
29 | (1) mileage reimbursement equal to the distance from the |
30 | individual's residence to the treatment program closest to the |
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1 | individual's residence; or |
2 | (2) paratransit services, if the treatment is received at |
3 | the treatment program closest to the individual's residence |
4 | based on a one-way trip calculation. |
5 | (b) The department may shall develop an exceptions process | <-- |
6 | based on medical emergency, physical health, safety issues and |
7 | availability of closest provider. |
8 | (c) County medical assistance transportation programs in |
9 | consultation with the department shall develop procedures for |
10 | the prevention, detection and reporting of suspected fraud and |
11 | abuse relating to the reimbursement of mileage for methadone |
12 | treatment. |
13 | (d) The department shall issue biennial reports to the | <-- |
14 | General Assembly and the Governor detailing costs and cost |
15 | savings related to implementing the provisions of this section. |
16 | The first biennial report shall be issued not later than one |
17 | year from the effective date of this section. |
18 | Section 3. This act shall take effect in 30 days. |
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