59H-1.009. Certification of County of Residence

(1) The hospital shall send the application to the certifying agency for the county indicated on the application as the county of residence for the determination of eligibility and certification of the county of residence of the applicant.

(2) The county has 60 days from the date of receipt of the application to determine the applicant’s county of residence. This time limit shall run concurrent with the time limit for determining eligibility. If the county fails to make or is unable to make a determination within 60 days, for reasons other than awaiting eligibility for other state of federal hospital reimbursement programs, the hospital shall notify the agency, providing a copy of the application and all supporting documentation. The agency shall determine residency within 45 days of receipt of notification from the hospital that the county was unable to determine residency. The agency shall notify the hospital and the county of the residency determination.

(3) County of Residence Verification: The applicant must provide or make available one of the following as corroborating evidence of current residency within the county:

(a) Current active driver’s license or State of Florida Identification Card;

(b) Mortgage, lease or rental receipt or letter from the landlord;

(c) Proof of home ownership;

(d) Water, electric, or other public utility bill in the name of the applicant or family unit member to a residential address within the county;

(e) A state, county or federal document mailed to the applicant to a residential address within the county;

(f) Vehicle registration in the name of the applicant or family unit member to a residential address within the county;

(g) Voter registration;

(h) Proof of children enrolled in public schools within the county;

(i) Recent historical record of residence documented through a county department’s case record;

(j) Other documents of equal weight as those above that verify an applicant’s residency; and,

(k) In the absence of any of the above documentation, a declaration of domicile shall be accepted.

(4) The certifying agency may determine eligibility based on documentation submitted by the hospital or applicant without a face-to-face interview, if adequate information and documentation are provided to verify the county of residence.

(5) The agency’s determination of county of residence is binding on the county of residence and that county shall be liable to reimburse the treating hospital for a qualified indigent patient or spend-down provision eligible patient to the extent provided in the rule. The agency must provide the county with the basis for the determination.

(6) If for any reason the county or agency is unable to determine an applicant’s county of residence, the county or agency shall notify the hospital in writing of such reason.

(7) The agency’s residency determination shall be based solely on the application and supporting documentation submitted by the hospital and the county. The agency shall not verify residency information or seek additional information to establish residency.

Rulemaking Authority 154.3105 FS. Law Implemented 154.309, 154.316 FS. History–New 3-29-89, Amended 12-24-90, 2-24-92, Formerly 10C-26.009, Amended 6-7-00.