Sec. 34. (a) An individual who:

(1) resides in a county where there is no health center; and

(2) desires treatment in a health center as provided for in this chapter;

may apply for treatment to the county auditor or official visitor of the county, on a form to be provided by the official visitor. An application submitted under this section must be accompanied by a signed certificate stating that the applicant has been examined by a physician and that in the physician's opinion the patient is suffering from tuberculosis or other chronic disease.

(b) The auditor shall, upon receipt of an application and certificate filed under subsection (a), forward the certificate to the board of commissioners. If the board of commissioners find that the facts contained in the application are true, the board of commissioners shall make a record of the application and forward the application to the health center administrator. If the patient is accepted by the health center, the board of commissioners shall provide transportation for the patient and shall provide for the patient's maintenance in the health center at the rate provided for in the contract.

(c) Upon receiving an application for the admission of a patient from the board of commissioners of any other county, the administrator of a health center shall request that the patient appear in person for an examination at the health center if:

(1) it appears from the application that the applicant is suffering from tuberculosis or other chronic disease;

(2) there is a vacancy in the health center; and

(3) there is no pending application from a patient residing in the county in which the health center is located.

(d) If upon examination of the patient by the medical staff of the health center the administrator is satisfied that the patient is suffering from tuberculosis or other chronic disease, the administrator shall admit the patient to the health center.

(e) A patient admitted under this section is a charge against the board of commissioners of the county sending the patient, at a rate fixed by the board of commissioners, and the bill shall, when verified, be paid by the auditor of the contracting county.

(f) The board of commissioners of the contracting county shall cause an investigation to be made into the financial circumstances of the patient and the relatives legally liable for the patient's support and may collect from the relatives, in whole or in part, according to the financial ability of the relatives, the cost of the maintenance of the patient in the health center.

[Pre-1992 Revision Citation: 12-4-6-12.]

As added by P.L.2-1992, SEC.24.