THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY OBERLANDER, AUMENT, BAKER, BARRAR, BENNINGHOFF, BLOOM, CAUSER, DUNBAR, EVANKOVICH, FARRY, FLECK, GABLER, GRELL, GROVE, HESS, HICKERNELL, KAUFFMAN, KILLION, KNOWLES, KRIEGER, MARSHALL, METCALFE, METZGAR, MILLER, MOUL, MUSTIO, PICKETT, QUINN, REED, REESE, REICHLEY, ROAE, SAYLOR, STERN, TALLMAN, TOEPEL, VULAKOVICH, SWANGER, CUTLER, SCAVELLO, DELOZIER, GINGRICH AND HUTCHINSON, APRIL 7, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, APRIL 7, 2011  

AN ACT

Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An

act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public

welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in public assistance,

providing for the medical assistance transportation program.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  The act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known

as the Public Welfare Code, is amended by adding a section to

read:

Section 443.11.  Medical Assistance Transportation Program.--

(a)  The department shall promulgate rules and regulations

setting eligibility requirements, need verification procedures,

assistance levels and other requirements necessary to operate

the medical assistance transportation program in an efficient

and cost-effective manner.

(b)  The department shall promulgate rules and regulations to

coordinate the operation and management of the medical

assistance transportation program through regional or

metropolitan offices if such regionalization would result in

efficiencies or cost reduction.

(c)  The department shall make fully available to all MATP

offices the Client Information System (CIS) or any successor

system designed to track and record information relating to a

recipient's assistance and eligibility.

(d)  Transportation service providers shall record and submit

to the MATP office the name and address of each passenger and

the time and location of each pick up and drop off.

(e)  The department shall develop a standard attestation form

to be signed by the recipient and the medical services provider

attesting that the recipient attended the appointment or meeting

as directed.

(f)  Recipients receiving mileage reimbursement shall record

the locations of the trip's starting and ending points, the

vehicle's starting and ending odometer reading for each trip

direction, the make, model and license plate number of the

vehicle and the names and addresses of any passengers in the

vehicle during the trip.

(g)  MATP offices providing transportation services and

mileage reimbursement through the medical assistance

transportation program shall satisfy each of the following:

(1)  Transportation services or mileage reimbursement shall

be preauthorized by the MATP office.

(2)  Transportation services or mileage reimbursement shall

be authorized only for transportation to medical assistance

providers.

(3)  The MATP office shall authorize transportation services

or mileage reimbursement for the least expensive mode of

transportation that is appropriate for the recipient's medical

condition and physical capability.

(4)  The MATP office shall authorize transportation services

for the closest available medical service provider.

(5)  Mileage reimbursement funds shall not be disbursed to

the recipient unless the recipient submits documentation

required under subsection (f) and a completed and signed

attestation form.

(6)  Transportation services shall not be authorized unless

the recipient has submitted a completed and signed attestation

form for all previous trips.

(7)  Mileage reimbursement shall be calculated as equal to

the lesser of the distance from the individual's residence to

the closest available medical services provider or fifty miles.

(h)  As used in this section, the following words and phrases

shall have the following meanings:

"MATP office" means any governmental body or contractor

providing services under the medical assistance transportation

program.

"Medical assistance transportation program" or "MATP" means

the program funded in part by the Department of Public Welfare

that provides nonemergency transportation to medical services

for medical assistance patients who have no other transportation

available to them.

"Transportation services" means contracted services provided

by MATP offices to transport recipients and approved medically

necessary escorts to medical appointments, including public

transportation, demand responsive transport, shared ride, formal

and informal carpooling arrangements and paratransit.

Section 2.  Any regulations inconsistent with the addition of

section 443.11 of the act are abrogated.

Section 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.