(A) For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates, or requires, a different meaning.
BOARD. The Board of Health of the county.
DEPARTMENT. The County Health Department.
HOME HEALTH SERVICES. The items and services furnished to individuals, under the care of a physician, on a visiting basis in a place of residence used as the individuals’ home. These services are provided by the County Health Department under a plan for furnishing such items and services to an individual, established and periodically reviewed by the individual’s physician and shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, part-time or intermittent nursing care provided by or under the supervision of a registered professional nurse, or the services of one or more of the following:
(a) Physical;
(b) Occupational or speech therapy;
(c) Medical social work; or
(d) Intermittent services of a home health aid, and such equipment as may be needed by the individual receiving such services.
(B) There shall be charged by the County Health Department for each home visit by any person providing Home Health Services, as that term is defined in division (A) above, a fee not to exceed $75. However, in those situations where in the fee is being charged to the recipient of the services, or to the spouse of such person, the County Health Department is authorized to adjust the fee, taking into consideration the income and family size of the individual to whom the fees are being charged, in the manner set forth in the following schedule, as recommended by the Board.
(C) The Board shall review the schedule of fees not less than annually and recommend such changes to the County Board as will keep such fees as close as possible to the actual cost of providing the services, such cost to be determined by applying accepted cost accounting methods.
(D) Such fees as are provided in this section shall be collected by the Department from the individual to whom the services were provided, from any other person who may be legally liable therefor, or from the estates of those individuals to whom the services are provided or who may be otherwise legally liable therefor, or from any municipality, political subdivision, or unit of local government which contractually agrees to be financially responsible for such fees for home health services provided to its residents under the provisions of any inter-governmental or other contract authorized by law.
(E) The Administrator of the Department shall be responsible for all billing procedures and the collection of fees. All fees collected shall be deposited in the Health Fund.
(F) The state’s Attorney of the county is authorized to commence appropriate legal proceedings to collect all fees owing and due under the provisions of this section, at the request of the Administrator of the Department.
(Prior Code, Title 4, Chapter 3) (Ord. passed 4-20-1976; Ord. passed 8-18-1987)