Sec 8-512. Comprehensive medical and dental care; guidelines

A. The department shall provide comprehensive medical and dental care, as prescribed by rules of the department, for each child who is:

1. In a voluntary placement pursuant to section 8-806.

2. In the custody of the department in an out-of-home placement.

3. In the custody of a probation department and placed in foster care. The department shall not provide this care if the cost exceeds funds currently appropriated and available for that purpose.

B. On or before October 1, 2015, the department of child safety, in collaboration with the department of health services and the Arizona health care cost containment system administration, shall:

1. Determine the most efficient and effective way to provide comprehensive medical, dental and behavioral health services, including behavioral health diagnostic, evaluation and treatment services for children who are provided care pursuant to subsection A of this section.

2. Determine the number of disruptions of placements in foster care by age of child due to behavioral health management issues and the extent each child is receiving behavioral health services.

3. Determine the number of adopted children who have entered foster care due to the adoptive parents' inability to receive behavioral health services to adequately meet the needs of the child and parents.

4. Submit a report of its recommendations for providing services pursuant to this subsection to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate and shall provide a copy of its report to the secretary of state. The collaborative determination shall consider an administratively integrated system.

C. The comprehensive medical and dental care consists of those benefits provided by the Arizona health care cost containment system benefit as prescribed in title 36, chapter 29, article 1 and as set forth in the approved medicaid state plan.

D. Any provider that has a provider agreement registration may be employed through the comprehensive medical and dental program by the foster parent, relative, certified adoptive parent, agency or department having responsibility for the care of the child.

E. The department shall reimburse a provider according to the rates established by the Arizona health care cost containment system administration pursuant to title 36, chapter 29, article 1.

F. The department shall use the Arizona health care cost containment system administration rates as identified in subsection E of this section for any child eligible for services under this section.

G. The department shall require providers to submit claims for medical and dental services pursuant to section 36-2903.01.

H. The department shall require that the provider pursue other third party payors before submitting a claim to the department. Payment received by a provider from the department is considered payment by the department of the department's liability for the bill. A provider may collect any unpaid portion of its bill from other third party payors or in situations covered by title 33, chapter 7, article 3.

I. The department shall not pay claims for services pursuant to this section that are submitted more than one hundred eighty days after the date of the service for which the payment is claimed.

J. The department may provide for payment through an insurance plan, hospital service plan, medical service plan, or any other health service plan authorized to do business in this state, fiscal intermediary or a combination of such plans or methods. The state shall not be liable for and the department shall not pay to any plan or intermediary any portion of the cost of comprehensive medical and dental care in excess of funds appropriated and available for such purpose at the time the plan or intermediary incurs the expense for such care.

K. The total amount of state monies that may be spent in any fiscal year by the department for comprehensive medical and dental care shall not exceed the amount appropriated or authorized by section 35-173 for that purpose. This section shall not be construed to impose a duty on an officer, agent or employee of this state to discharge a responsibility or to create any right in a person or group if the discharge or right would require an expenditure of state monies in excess of the expenditure authorized by legislative appropriation for that specific purpose.