(a) The applicant, following public notice and a hearing, must obtain approval by the Board of County Commissioners for the applicable county to apply for these grant funds. A copy of the meeting minutes or a signed letter where board approval was granted is required as part of the application. Board approval cannot be more than six (6) months old at the time of application to the Program.
(b) Eligible applicants must complete the approved Program application and submit it to the Department.
(c) During the three (3) year grant term, which will be identified in the Grant Award Agreement, grantees must: - (i) Provide services to the public regardless of an individual's ability to pay, and accept as first priority, and treat without reservation, patients qualified under the Medical Assistance and Services Act (Medicaid), Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act (Medicare), and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) who seek medical care which the heaithcare provider is qualified to provide. Sliding fee scales and charity care policies based upon income are acceptable. Care is not always expected to be Iree; however, an unreasonable sliding fee scale or payment policy can be cause for denial of grant funds.
- (ii) Submit an annual report to the Department stating the number of patients seen using the clinic's sliding fee scale and/or charity care policy, as well as the number of patients seen using Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP.
- (iii) Integrate care within the entire service community, as described in Section 4 of these Rules, and reflect the integration in the grantee's operation plan. An operation plan that does not reflect integration of services as described in Section 4 is cause for denial of grant funds.
- (iv) Maintain HIPAA compliance in all communications pertaining to this Program with the Department.
- (v) Annually supply key performance indicators, as defined in Section 4 of these Rules, for the approved project and include a narrative and other supporting documentation on key performance indicator status. Key performance indicators must be approved by the Department and must be consistent with the purpose of this Program, as stated in Section 2 of these Rules.
- (vi) Annually collect, maintain, and report data on the grant's effect on improvements to access to care within the community and surrounding rural areas.
- (vii) Submit a quarterly report on three (3) quality indicators of the grantee's choosing, as described in Section 4 of these Rules. Indicators must remain the same during the entire three (3) year grant term. Grantee may request in writing to change an indicator. The Department, at its sole discretion, will determine if the requested change is approved or denied.
- (viii) Within sixty (60) days of the end of the three (3) year grant term, the grantee must submit an end of grant final report to the Department that summarizes the project's successes, challenges, and outcomes, as well as all required reports and data to date.
- (ix) Agree to repay the state all grant funds received if grantee fails to remain in compliance with the terms and requirements of these Rules and the Grant Award Agreement for the entire three year (3) grant term.