Senate Bill 2006

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 41-55-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS ON CHARGES BY AMBULANCE PROVIDERS WHO TRANSPORT PATIENTS ACROSS COUNTY LINES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 41-55-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

41-55-7. (1) If there is in operation an adequate privately run ambulance service, then the governing authorities are hereby prohibited from contracting for ambulance services to be run by the public body. The governing authorities may, however, subsidize such existing privately run ambulance service, in their discretion, if they deem necessary to keep such service in operation.

(2) If an ambulance provider, licensed in Mississippi, is requested by any health care facility located within a county to travel to a health care facility located in another county for the purpose of transporting a patient back to the health care facility where he/she was originally treated, they must either be allowed to do so or an ambulance company in the affected county must transport the patient to the health care facility where he/she was originally treated at a cost no more than would have been charged by the ambulance provider in the originating county.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2012.