ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
medical services; rural
areas
Appropriates $2.5 million in
FYs 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 from the medically needy account to the Department
of Health Services (DHS) for capital project grants for public and nonprofit
entities and appropriates $500,000 annually from the medically needy account
for telemedicine pilot programs.
For FY 1997-1998, the
Legislature appropriated $2.5 million from the medically needy account to DHS
for capital project grants to public and private nonprofit entities that
provide health care in rural and medically underserved areas (Laws 1997,
Chapter 257). The capital projects may
include the purchase or lease of land, buildings, mobile medical clinics,
equipment and furnishings, telemedicine equipment and facilities and other
costs necessary to construct, expand or renovate health care facilities to
expand or provide primary care services.
Various communities have received grants through this program,
including: Ash Fork, Buckeye, Elfrida, Gila Bend, Marana, Maricopa, Maricopa
County, Nogales, Page, Phoenix, St. Johns, St. Michaels and Tucson.
In previous years, the
Legislature has reauthorized this program by appropriating $2.5 million in FY
1998-1999 and FY 1999-2000. However,
funding for this program was not continued in 2000. S.B. 1038 re-establishes this program by appropriating, subject
to availability, $2.5 million in FY 2001-2002 and FY 2002-2003 from the
medically needy account for capital project grants to public and private
nonprofit entities providing healthcare in rural or medically underserved
areas.
Telemedicine is the use of
telecommunications to provide medical diagnosis and patient care in areas that
are a distance from the health care provider. In 1995 the Legislature,
established the telemedicine pilot program (Laws 1995, Chapter 275). The Legislature extended the pilot program
in 1998 and 1999.
The pilot program is
designed to provide medical services in medically underserved areas, including
Flagstaff, Show Low, St. Johns, Page and Prescott through the use of
telecommunications between urban sites and rural communities. Emphasis is placed on providing services to
low income, indigent and uninsured persons.
Available services include primary care, preventive care, specialty care
and consultation and behavioral health services. S.B. 1038 reauthorizes this program and makes it permanent in statute
by appropriating, subject to availability, $500,000 annually from the medically
needy account to DHS for telemedicine services.
1. Appropriates $2.5 million in FYs 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 from the medically needy account to DHS for capital project grants for public and nonprofit entities that provide health services in rural areas.
2. Sets a maximum of $500,000 for a single capital project grant.
3. Directs DHS to give preference to applicants that provide telemedicine services in rural areas and to applicants with matching or in-kind contributions.
4. Prohibits DHS from funding capital projects that receive monies under the primary care program.
5. Limits recipients to a maximum of two capital project grants total and to one capital project grant in a two-year period.
6. Defines capital projects.
7. Appropriates, subject to the availability of monies, $500,000 annually beginning in FY 2001-2002 from the medically needy account for telemedicine pilot programs designed to facilitate the provision of medical services in medically underserved areas.
8. Provides for a general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Staff
February 16, 2001