Sec 36-2905.01. Inpatient hospital reimbursement program; large counties

A. Notwithstanding any other law, beginning on October 1, 2003, pursuant to this chapter the administration shall establish and operate a program for inpatient hospital reimbursement in each county with a population of more than five hundred thousand persons.

B. Beginning on October 1, 2003, the director shall require contractors to enter into contracts with one or more hospitals in these counties and to reimburse those hospitals for services provided pursuant to this chapter based on the reimbursement levels negotiated with each hospital and specified in the contract and under the terms on which the contractor and the hospital agree and under all of the following conditions:

1. The director may review and approve or disapprove the reimbursement levels and the terms agreed on by the contractor and the hospital.

2. If the contractor implements an electronic claims submission system it may adopt procedures requiring documentation of the system.

3. Payment received by a hospital from a contractor is considered payment in full by the contractor. A hospital may collect any unpaid portion of its bill from other third party payors or in situations covered by title 33, chapter 7, article 3.

C. If a contractor and a hospital do not enter into a contract pursuant to subsection B of this section, the reimbursement level for inpatient services provided on dates of admission on or after October 1, 2003 for that hospital is the reimbursement level prescribed in section 36-2903.01 multiplied by ninety-five per cent.

D. For outpatient hospital services provided under the program prescribed in this section, a contractor may reimburse a hospital either pursuant to rates and terms negotiated in a contract between the contractor and the hospital or pursuant to section 36-2903.01, subsection G, paragraph 3.

E. Contracts established pursuant to this section shall specify that arbitration may be used in lieu of the grievance and appeal procedure prescribed in section 36-2903.01, subsection B, paragraph 4 to resolve any disputes arising under the contract.