§ 1621r. — Contract health services payment study.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 25USC1621r]
TITLE 25--INDIANS
CHAPTER 18--INDIAN HEALTH CARE
SUBCHAPTER II--HEALTH SERVICES
Sec. 1621r. Contract health services payment study
(a) Duty of Secretary
The Secretary, acting through the Service and in consultation with
representatives of Indian tribes and tribal organizations operating
contract health care programs under the Indian Self-Determination Act
(25 U.S.C. 450f et seq.) or under self-governance compacts, Service
personnel, private contract health services providers, the Indian Health
Service Fiscal Intermediary, and other appropriate experts, shall
conduct a study--
(1) to assess and identify administrative barriers that hinder
the timely payment for services delivered by private contract health
services providers to individual Indians by the Service and the
Indian Health Service Fiscal Intermediary;
(2) to assess and identify the impact of such delayed payments
upon the personal credit histories of individual Indians who have
been treated by such providers; and
(3) to determine the most efficient and effective means of
improving the Service's contract health services payment system and
ensuring the development of appropriate consumer protection policies
to protect individual Indians who receive authorized services from
private contract health services providers from billing and
collection practices, including the development of materials and
programs explaining patients' rights and responsibilities.
(b) Functions of study
The study required by subsection (a) of this section shall--
(1) assess the impact of the existing contract health services
regulations and policies upon the ability of the Service and the
Indian Health Service Fiscal Intermediary to process, on a timely
and efficient basis, the payment of bills submitted by private
contract health services providers;
(2) assess the financial and any other burdens imposed upon
individual Indians and private contract health services providers by
delayed payments;
(3) survey the policies and practices of collection agencies
used by contract health services providers to collect payments for
services rendered to individual Indians;
(4) identify appropriate changes in Federal policies,
administrative procedures, and regulations, to eliminate the
problems experienced by private contract health services providers
and individual Indians as a result of delayed payments; and
(5) compare the Service's payment processing requirements with
private insurance claims processing requirements to evaluate the
systemic differences or similarities employed by the Service and
private insurers.
(c) Report to Congress
Not later than 12 months after October 29, 1992, the Secretary shall
transmit to the Congress a report that includes--
(1) a detailed description of the study conducted pursuant to
this section; and
(2) a discussion of the findings and conclusions of such study.
(Pub. L. 94-437, title II, Sec. 219, as added Pub. L. 102-573, title II,
Sec. 215, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4557.)
References in Text
The Indian Self-Determination Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is
title I of Pub. L. 93-638, Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2206, as amended,
which is classified principally to part A (Sec. 450f et seq.) of
subchapter II of chapter 14 of this title. For complete classification
of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 450
of this title and Tables.
