THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

INTRODUCED BY WARD, D. WHITE, EICHELBERGER, STACK, WASHINGTON, M. WHITE, MENSCH, VOGEL, ORIE, WAUGH, SOLOBAY, FONTANA, BREWSTER AND KASUNIC, FEBRUARY 24, 2011

REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, FEBRUARY 24, 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,

further providing for definitions; and, in public assistance,

providing for mileage reimbursement for individuals receiving

methadone treatment.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Section 402 of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31,

No.21), known as the Public Welfare Code, is amended by adding

definitions to read:

Section 402.  Definitions.--As used in this article, unless

the content clearly indicates otherwise:

* * *

"Medical assistance transportation program" means the program

funded in part by the Department of Public Welfare that provides

transportation to medical services for medical assistance

patients who have no other transportation available to them.

"Methadone" means a synthetic opioid agonist which binds with

opioid receptors in the brain to initiate drug actions that

mimic the effects of opiates.

"Narcotic treatment program" means a program for chronic drug

users that either administers or dispenses agents under a

narcotic treatment physician's order for detoxification or

maintenance purposes, or provides a comprehensive range of 

medical and rehabilitative services to alleviate adverse

medical, psychological or physical effects incident to an

addiction to narcotics, or both.

* * *

Section 2.  The act is amended by adding a section to read:

Section 443.11.  Mileage Reimbursement for Individuals

Receiving Methadone Treatment.--(a)  An individual receiving

methadone treatment by a licensed provider, pursuant to a

narcotic treatment program, shall be eligible for mileage

reimbursement only if the treatment is received at the treatment

program closest to the individual's residence based on a one-way

trip calculation.

(b)  The department may develop an exceptions process based

on medical emergency and availability of closest provider.

(c)  County medical assistance transportation programs in

consultation with the department shall develop procedures for

the prevention, detection and reporting of suspected fraud and

abuse relating to the reimbursement of mileage for methadone

treatment.

Section 3. This act shall take effect in 30 days.