Rule 111-3-12-.04 - Method of Local Administration(1) Supervision of Local Program: (a) The governing authority of the county shall have the following Program role:1. to determine whether the Program should be activated in the county and to establish the local budget needed;2. to review and to adopt the County Program Plan;3. to make an annual review of Program performance and to determine whether the Program is to be continued in its county.(b) The County Board of Health shall have the following Program role: 1. to bear responsibility for the proper administration of the Program in its county;2. to develop or supervise the development of a County Program Plan;3. to adopt local policies necessary to Program administration;4. to delegate administrative Program functions as it deems desirable.(c) The County Board of Health, except as indicated in paragraph (a) above shall represent the county in official negotiations with the Division of Hospital Services, Georgia Department of Community Health.(2) County Program Plan:(a) Annually, the County Board of Health shall prepare a County Program Plan which contains the following elements:1. a selection of hospitals to be used by the County in accordance with 111-3-12-.04(3);2. resolutions from the medical staff and the governing board of each selected hospital stating acceptance of participation in the local Program;3. a policy or standard for determining indigency and medical indigency in accordance with 111-3-12-.05;4. a policy or method for determining the need for hospitalization in accordance with 111-3-12-.06;5. a policy or method relating to out-of-county hospital care in accordance with 111-3-12-.06(3);6. a method or procedure for the payment of funds in accordance with 111-3-12-.03(3);7. a statement defining the area of responsibility for any agency to which the county has delegated administrative Program responsibility in accordance with 111-3-12-.04(4).(b) The County Program Plan shall be prepared so as to provide a logically interrelated set of policies for the local Program.(c) The County Program Plan shall be submitted for review and approval to the governing authority of the county and to the Georgia Department of Community Health.(3) Selection of Participating Hospitals: (a) The County Program Plan shall contain the selection of a reasonable number of Participating Hospitals so that geographic Program Coverage will conform, in General, with the pattern of medical care for the area.(b) In the selection of Participating Hospitals to be used by the local Program, consideration should be given to the probable needs of individual patients, the necessity for referrals between hospitals, the geographic convenience of patients, and the desires of local practicing physicians.(c) To the fullest degree consistent with sound local Program management, the local selection of Participating Hospitals should be limited to general hospitals providing medical and surgical services.(d) The Eugene Talmadge Memorial Hospital shall not be selected for inclusion in any County Program Plan; however, emergency or highly specialized hospital care may be authorized at this hospital.(e) In an emergency wherein the medical condition of the patient prevents utilization of a selected participating hospital, hospitalization may be authorized in any Participating Hospital without reference to the County Program Plan.(f) The county may amend its selection of Participating Hospitals by written notice to the Georgia Department of Community Health.(4) Local Program Administration:(a) The County Board of Health shall have authority to administer the local Program, including the following areas:1. to make the necessary investigation for the final determination of indigency and medical indigency;2. to make the final determination of the need for hospitalization;3. to authorize and to approve payments for hospital care;4. to maintain Program records and to prepare reports of its activities;5. to properly account for funds made available to the local Program;6. to maintain liaison with public and private agencies interested in the Program.(b) The County Board of Health may delegate definable aspects of local Program administration to a governmental official, an agency, or an organization which perform a public and necessary governmental function. Any delegation must be on an annual basis and does not relieve the County Board of Health of its total Program responsibility.(c) The County Board of Health, at its option, may elect to establish a Screening Committee to advise in local program administration.1. The Act specifies that a Screening Committee, created by a County, should be delegated the function of making determinations and certifications relative to the indigency of persons applying for assistance under this Program.2. Such a Screening Committee should consist of three responsible and public-minded local citizens. At least one member of a Screening Committee must be designated by the local medical society.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 111-3-12-.04
Ga. L. 1933, p. 7; O.C.G.A. § 31-8-1et seq.
Original Rule entitled "Method of Local Administration" adopted. F. Oct. 9, 2020; eff. Oct. 29, 2020.