2798

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 370

(House Bill 651)

AN ACT concerning

Mental Health - Charges for Emergency Evaluations

FOR the purpose of providing that certain charges for
emergency services, initial consultant physician
examination related to an emergency evaluation under
the mental hygiene laws, and transportation to certain
emergency facilities are to be paid by the Department
of Health and Mental Hygiene; and providing that under
certain conditions and subject to certain limitations
the Department shall be subrogated against certain
insurance coverage available to certain patients; and
making this Act an emergency measure.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article - Health - General

Section 10-628

Annotated Code of Maryland

(As enacted by Chapter ____ (H.B. 200) of the Acts

of the General Assembly of 1982)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland

(as enacted by Chapter ____ (H.B. 200) of the Acts of the

General Assembly of 1982) read(s) as follows:

Article - Health - General

10-628.

(A)   If an emergency evaluee does not have insurance
that covers the [cost of] CHARGES FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES, an
initial consultant examination by a physician and
transportation to an emergency facility AND TO THE ADMITTING
FACILITY under Part IV of this subtitle, the Department
shall pay the appropriate party at A RATE NOT TO EXCEED the
usual, [and] customary AND REASONABLE rate AS ESTABLISHED BY
BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF MARYLAND,INC THE MEDIAN RATE
PAID FOR THIS SERVICE IN THE AREA OF THE STATE WHERE THE
SERVICE IS PROVIDED, EXCEPT THAT HOSPITALS SHALL BE PAID AT
RATES APPROVED BY THE HEALTH SERVICES COST REVIEW
COMMISSION.

(B)  WITH RESPECT TO EMERGENCY ADMISSIONS, THE
DEPARTMENT SHALL BE SUBROGATED AGAINST ANY INSURANCE
COVERAGE AVAILABLE TO THE PATIENT FOR CHARGES RELATING TO
EMERGENCY SERVICE, INITIAL CONSULTANT EXAMINATION BY A
PHYSICIAN, AND TRANSPORTATION TO AN EMERGENCY FACILITY UNDER
PART IV OF THIS SUBTITLE.