PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1477

PRINTER'S NO.  1667

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE BILL

 

No.

1301

Session of

2011

  

  

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, HUTCHINSON, RAPP, PERRY, MALONEY, SONNEY, STEPHENS, GILLESPIE, MILNE, ELLIS, COX, GEIST AND BEAR, APRIL 7, 2011

  

  

AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, APRIL 27, 2011   

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

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

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act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public

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welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in public assistance,

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providing for the medical assistance transportation program.

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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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hereby enacts as follows:

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

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

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read:

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Section 443.11.  Medical Assistance Transportation Program.--

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(a)  The department shall promulgate rules and regulations

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setting eligibility requirements, need verification procedures,

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assistance levels and other requirements necessary to operate

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the medical assistance transportation program in an efficient

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and cost-effective manner.

 


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(b)  The department shall promulgate rules and regulations to

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coordinate the operation and management of the medical

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assistance transportation program through regional or

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metropolitan offices if such regionalization would result in

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efficiencies or cost reduction.

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

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MATP offices the Client Information System (CIS) or any

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successor system designed to track and record information

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relating to a recipient's assistance and eligibility.

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(d) (c)  Transportation service providers shall record and

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

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and the time and location of each pick up and drop off, unless

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the collection of such information is not feasible for the mode

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of transportation.

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(e) (d)  The department shall develop a standard attestation

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form to be signed by the recipient and the medical services

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provider attesting that the recipient attended the appointment

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or meeting as directed.

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(f) (e)  Recipients receiving mileage reimbursement shall

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

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the vehicle's starting and ending odometer reading for each trip

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

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vehicle and the names and addresses of any passengers in the

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vehicle during the trip.

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(g) (f)  MATP offices providing transportation services and

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mileage reimbursement through the medical assistance

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transportation program shall satisfy each of the following:

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(1)  Transportation services or mileage reimbursement shall

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be preauthorized by the MATP office.

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(2)  Transportation services or mileage reimbursement shall

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be authorized only for transportation to medical assistance

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providers.

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(3)  The MATP office shall authorize transportation services

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or mileage reimbursement for the least expensive mode of

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transportation that is appropriate for the recipient's medical

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condition and physical capability.

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(4)  The MATP office shall authorize transportation services

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for the closest available medical service provider that meets

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the recipient's medical needs.

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(5)  Mileage reimbursement funds shall not be disbursed to

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the recipient unless the recipient submits documentation

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required under subsection (f) (e) and a completed and signed

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attestation form.

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(6)  Transportation services shall not only be authorized

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unless if the recipient has submitted a completed and signed

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attestation form for all previous trips occurring more than

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fifteen days before the request for services.

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(7)  Mileage reimbursement shall be calculated as equal to

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

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the lesser of the following:

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(i)  the distance from the individual's residence to the

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closest available medical services provider or fifty miles. that

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meets the recipient's medical needs; or

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(ii)  fifty miles, unless the recipient is exempted by the

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department or MATP office for medically necessary services in

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excess of fifty miles.

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

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phrases shall have the following meanings:

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"MATP office" means any governmental body or contractor

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providing services under the medical assistance transportation

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program.

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"Medical assistance transportation program" or "MATP" means

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the program funded in part by the Department of Public Welfare

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that provides nonemergency transportation to medical services

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for medical assistance patients who have no other transportation

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available to them.

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"Transportation services" means contracted services provided

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by MATP offices to transport recipients and approved medically

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necessary escorts to medical appointments, including public

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transportation, demand responsive transport, shared ride, formal

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and informal carpooling arrangements and paratransit.

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Section 2.  Any regulations inconsistent with the addition of

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section 443.11 of the act are abrogated.

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

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follows:

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(1)  The following provisions shall take effect

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immediately:

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(i)  This section.

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(ii)  The addition of section 443.11(a) of the act.

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(2)  The remainder of this act shall take effect in 90

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days.

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