NOTIFICATION OF PROVISION OF NONEMERGENCY SERVICES.

(a) A public hospital may require any provider, including a mandated provider, to obtain approval from the hospital before providing nonemergency health care services to an eligible resident in the hospital's service area.

(b) If the public hospital does not require prior approval and a provider delivers or will deliver nonemergency health care services to a patient who the provider suspects might be eligible for assistance under this subchapter, the provider shall notify the hospital that health care services have been or will be provided to the patient. The notice shall be made:

(1) by telephone not later than the 72nd hour after the provider determines that the patient resides in the hospital's service area; and

(2) by mail postmarked not later than the fifth working day after the date on which the provider determines that the patient resides in the hospital's service area.

(c) If the provider knows that the public hospital serving the area in which the patient resides has selected a mandated provider or if, after contacting the hospital, the hospital requests that the patient be transferred to a mandated provider, the provider shall transfer the patient to the mandated provider unless it is medically inappropriate to do so.

(d) Not later than the 14th day after the date on which the public hospital receives sufficient information to determine eligibility, the hospital shall determine if the patient is eligible for assistance from the hospital. If the hospital does not determine the patient's eligibility within that period, the patient is considered to be eligible. The hospital shall notify the provider of its decision.

(e) If a provider delivers nonemergency health care services to a patient who is eligible for assistance under this subchapter and fails to comply with this section, the provider is not eligible for payment for the services from the public hospital serving the area in which the patient resides.