GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

S	1 

SENATE BILL 800

Short Title:  Rural Obstetrical Care Funds.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senators Swain and Winner.
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Referred to:  Appropriations.
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April 5, 1989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES FOR THE RURAL OBSTETRICAL CARE INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Human Resources the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year and the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) for the 1990-91 fiscal year to fund the rural obstetrical care incentive program.
The rural obstetrical care program shall compensate family physicians and obstetricians who agree to provide prenatal and obstetrical services in counties that are underserved with regard to these services.  The Commission for Health Services shall adopt rules determining the counties that are underserved with respect to obstetrical care that are to be part of this program, the scope of the obstetrical services that are to be provided by a physician for that physician to be eligible to receive assistance under the program, and the amount and nature of the assistance to be provided to eligible physicians.  Specific rules issued by the Commission for Health Services governing this program shall include:
(1)	A physician who provides obstetrical care in a county that is designated as being underserved for prenatal and obstetrical care by the Commission for Health Services will be compensated for either the difference between his premiums with obstetrical care coverage and his premiums without obstetrical care coverage, or six thousand five hundred dollars ($6,500), whichever is less;
(2)	Physicians providing obstetrical care through an arrangement with their local health department shall have the option of providing the care at their offices or at the facilities of the health department obstetrical clinic;
(3)	No physician shall be required to assume management of the care of any obstetrical patient if the level of care required for that patient is beyond the professional competence of that physician;
(4)	Physicians eligible for payment under this program shall be licensed to practice medicine in this State;
(5)	Participating physicians shall provide complete obstetrical care for covered patients including prenatal care and delivery; provided, however, physicians in a county without a facility for obstetrical delivery are still eligible if they provide only prenatal care;
(6)	The liability insurance rates for obstetrical care to be used to determine compensation under this program shall be based on obstetrical premiums of $1,000,000/$1,000,000 coverage at a mature rate; and 
(7)	Any physician compensated under this program shall not refuse to provide obstetrical care for any patient based on the patient's economic status or ability to pay.
Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1989.