Section 37-9-5. Assessment of persons liable for cost of care generally

   (a) The department shall determine all persons who are liable for the cost of care of a patient and notify such persons of their joint and several liability and of their assessment. Such notice shall offer opportunity for any person so notified to be heard to show cause, if there be any, why such person should not be liable for payment of the assessment.

(b) When the department determines that persons legally liable for the cost of care of a patient do not have sufficient income or assets to pay the entire cost of care, the department shall determine for each such person the amount payable toward cost of care which shall be a fair and equitable amount based on ability to pay determined in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 37-9-6. When applicable, the notice provided for in subsection (a) of this Code section shall reflect as the assessment the amount payable toward cost of care provided for in this chapter; and if a hearing is requested by any person receiving such notice, such person may question his liability for cost of care as well as the amount of his assessment. Failure of the patient or other persons liable for cost of care to provide financial information to the department required to determine assessments on the basis of ability to pay in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 37-9-6 or failure of the patient or other persons liable for cost of care to cooperate with the department in obtaining payment of any insurance or health benefits available for a patient may result in assessment of such persons of the full cost of care of the patient. Failure of the patient or other persons liable for cost of care to cooperate with the department in applying on behalf of the patient for federal benefits and insurance, program, or plan benefits in order that a determination may be made of eligibility for such benefits may also result in assessment of such persons of the full cost of care of the patient and the burden of providing information to reduce the full cost of care is on the patient or other persons liable for cost of care.

(c) Any investigation or hearing regarding ability to pay shall not operate to deny or delay admission of a patient to a hospital or to deny or delay providing services for such patient.

(d) It shall be the duty of the department to reexamine the assessment periodically and either reduce or increase such assessment as hereinafter provided in accordance with changes in the ability to pay of the person liable for cost of care. If the department determines that the economic circumstances of a person liable for cost of care have improved to an extent justifying an increase in the assessment, any such increase shall apply only to cost of care for services rendered for the patient after the effective date of the increase in assessment and no such increase shall cause the assessment to exceed the total cost of care. The department may not increase an assessment as provided in this Code section without affording the person liable for cost of care an opportunity for a hearing on the question of the increase in the assessment. A person liable for cost of care may apply to the department for a change in the assessment when the person's economic circumstances have changed sufficiently to affect adversely his future ability to pay. If an assessment for services previously rendered for a patient is being paid in accordance with a scheduled plan of payments approved by the department, then a reduction in assessment because of a change in the economic circumstances affecting adversely the ability to pay of the person liable for cost of care may apply to that portion of the assessment for services previously rendered for the patient which remain unpaid as of the date of the reduction of the assessment as well as to the assessment for cost of services rendered after the date of the reduction. However, no such reduction shall require the refund of any payments made on an assessment prior to the date of the reduction of the assessment. After investigation and hearing, the department shall act upon the application made by the person liable for cost of care. Any redetermination of the assessment pursuant to this subsection shall be subject to the requirements of Code Section 37-9-6. Notwithstanding any reexamination or corresponding adjustment of an assessment which might be afforded, each assessment shall be valid for a period of 12 months from the date of the initial assessment or any reassessment thereafter. No reduction, increase, or opportunity for hearing shall be allowed after the assessment period.

(e) The department may accept payment for full cost of care if any person liable for cost of care offers such payment in lieu of declaring financial circumstances and having an assessment determined by hearing. Any assessment made pursuant to the authority of this subsection shall be subject to redetermination as provided by subsection (d) of this Code section if requested by the person liable for cost of care.

(f) The department shall adopt and comply with procedures to inform adequately patients and other persons determined liable for the cost of care of their right to hearings and of their right to request reassessments.

Ga. L. 1960, p. 1138, §§ 6, 9, 10; Ga. L. 1979, p. 834, § 3; Ga. L. 1985, p. 987, § 2; Ga. L. 1992, p. 6, § 37; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1445, § 2.