Department of Health — Powers and duties

Ark. Code Ann. § 20-15-603 — under Disease and Disease Prevention Generally.

Ark. Code Ann. § 20-15-603

(a) The Department of Health, in consultation with the State Kidney Disease Advisory Council, shall:(1) (A) (i) Administer a program to assist persons suffering from acute or chronic renal failure in obtaining care and treatment requiring kidney dialysis or transplantation.(ii) Services to assist persons requiring transplantation may include dental services necessary for consideration for transplantation and the copayment of immunosuppressant drugs post transplantation.(B) The program shall provide financial assistance for persons suffering from chronic renal diseases who require life-saving care and treatment for the renal disease to the extent as determined by the Department of Health that a person is unable to pay for the services on a continuing basis without causing unjust and unusual hardship to himself or herself and his or her immediate family including without limitation a drastic lowering of the standard of living;(2) Develop rules for determining eligibility for assistance in defraying the cost of care and treatment of renal disease under this program, to be recommended for adoption by the State Board of Health;(3) Cooperate with hospitals, private groups, and organizations and public agencies in the development of positive programs to bring about financial assistance and support of evaluation and treatment of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease;(4) Cooperate with the national and state kidney foundations and with medical programs of the state and the United States Government for the purpose of obtaining the maximum amount of federal and private assistance possible in support of a kidney disease treatment program;(5) Establish rules for evaluating the financial ability of persons suffering from chronic kidney disease to pay for their own care, including the availability of third-party insurance coverage, for the purpose of establishing rules for eligibility for financial assistance in defraying the cost of the care and treatment from funds appropriated to the advisory council for renal disease treatment purposes;(6) Accept grants from private sources and the United States Government and support from municipal and county governments to be used for the purposes of this subchapter in defraying costs incurred by persons suffering from acute or chronic renal disease who are unable to meet the total cost of life-saving care and treatment for renal disease; and(7) Accept grants from private sources and the United States Government and support from municipal and county governments to be used to honor persons who have provided living kidney donations to Arkansans in need of kidney transplantation.

(1) (A) (i) Administer a program to assist persons suffering from acute or chronic renal failure in obtaining care and treatment requiring kidney dialysis or transplantation.(ii) Services to assist persons requiring transplantation may include dental services necessary for consideration for transplantation and the copayment of immunosuppressant drugs post transplantation.(B) The program shall provide financial assistance for persons suffering from chronic renal diseases who require life-saving care and treatment for the renal disease to the extent as determined by the Department of Health that a person is unable to pay for the services on a continuing basis without causing unjust and unusual hardship to himself or herself and his or her immediate family including without limitation a drastic lowering of the standard of living;

(A) (i) Administer a program to assist persons suffering from acute or chronic renal failure in obtaining care and treatment requiring kidney dialysis or transplantation.(ii) Services to assist persons requiring transplantation may include dental services necessary for consideration for transplantation and the copayment of immunosuppressant drugs post transplantation.

(i) Administer a program to assist persons suffering from acute or chronic renal failure in obtaining care and treatment requiring kidney dialysis or transplantation.

(ii) Services to assist persons requiring transplantation may include dental services necessary for consideration for transplantation and the copayment of immunosuppressant drugs post transplantation.

(B) The program shall provide financial assistance for persons suffering from chronic renal diseases who require life-saving care and treatment for the renal disease to the extent as determined by the Department of Health that a person is unable to pay for the services on a continuing basis without causing unjust and unusual hardship to himself or herself and his or her immediate family including without limitation a drastic lowering of the standard of living;

(2) Develop rules for determining eligibility for assistance in defraying the cost of care and treatment of renal disease under this program, to be recommended for adoption by the State Board of Health;

(3) Cooperate with hospitals, private groups, and organizations and public agencies in the development of positive programs to bring about financial assistance and support of evaluation and treatment of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease;

(4) Cooperate with the national and state kidney foundations and with medical programs of the state and the United States Government for the purpose of obtaining the maximum amount of federal and private assistance possible in support of a kidney disease treatment program;

(5) Establish rules for evaluating the financial ability of persons suffering from chronic kidney disease to pay for their own care, including the availability of third-party insurance coverage, for the purpose of establishing rules for eligibility for financial assistance in defraying the cost of the care and treatment from funds appropriated to the advisory council for renal disease treatment purposes;

(6) Accept grants from private sources and the United States Government and support from municipal and county governments to be used for the purposes of this subchapter in defraying costs incurred by persons suffering from acute or chronic renal disease who are unable to meet the total cost of life-saving care and treatment for renal disease; and

(7) Accept grants from private sources and the United States Government and support from municipal and county governments to be used to honor persons who have provided living kidney donations to Arkansans in need of kidney transplantation.

(b) Whereas the current Department of Finance and Administration accounting system will accept current-year refunds, credit the current-year appropriation, and allow expenditure of the funds, the advisory council, administered by the Department of Health, may accept prior-year refunds and contributions and deposit the funds into the agency cash fund in an account specifically identified as the State Kidney Disease Escrow Account and disbursed for the purchase of additional services for clients served by the advisory council.