Cost sharing for services furnished in a hospital emergency department

(a) The agency may impose cost sharing for non-emergency services provided in a hospital emergency department. The provisions in § 447.56(a) shall apply except as the agency exercises the option under paragraph (c) of this section.

(b) At state option, cost sharing for non-emergency services provided in an emergency department may be established at or below the amounts shown in the following table (except that the maximum allowable cost sharing identified for individuals with family income at or below 150 percent of the FPL shall be increased each year, beginning October 1, 2015, by the percentage increase in the medical care component of the CPI-U for the period of September to September of the preceding calendar year, rounded to the next higher 5-cent increment):

Services | Maximum allowable cost sharing Individuals with family income ≤150% of the FPL | Individuals with family income >150% of the FPL Non-emergency Use of the Emergency Department | $8 | No Limit.

(d) For the agency to impose cost sharing under paragraph (a) or (c) of this section for non-emergency use of the emergency department, the hospital providing the care must—

(1) Conduct an appropriate medical screening under § 489.24 subpart G to determine that the individual does not need emergency services.

(2) Before providing non-emergency services and imposing cost sharing for such services:

(i) Inform the individual of the amount of his or her cost sharing obligation for non-emergency services provided in the emergency department;

(ii) Provide the individual with the name and location of an available and accessible alternative non-emergency services provider;

(iii) Determine that the alternative provider can provide services to the individual in a timely manner with the imposition of a lesser cost sharing amount or no cost sharing if the individual is otherwise exempt from cost sharing; and

(iv) Provide a referral to coordinate scheduling for treatment by the alternative provider.

(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to:

(1) Limit a hospital's obligations for screening and stabilizing treatment of an emergency medical condition under section 1867 of the Act; or

(2) Modify any obligations under either state or federal standards relating to the application of a prudent-layperson standard for payment or coverage of emergency medical services by any managed care organization.