Section 29-1001. ALCOHOLIC TREATMENT REIMBURSEMENTS

 

1001.1The provisions of this section shall govern the reimbursement for treatment services provided to alcoholic patients by the District government in accordance with the provisions of §14 of Public Law 90-452, the District Alcoholic Rehabilitation Act of 1967, which requires that any person who receives treatment is required to reimburse the District for all or such part of the actual cost of providing the services as the Mayor or his or her designated representative may require.

 

1001.2The Director of the D.C. Department of Human Services shall, through his or her designated representative, enter into contracts for reimbursement of treatment costs in the name of the District government with persons liable or willing to assume responsibility for payment for treatment furnished under the provisions of this section.

 

1001.3The Mayor, or his or her designated representative, may waive reimbursement liability as being unreasonable in certain cases. He or she may waive, or authorize his or her designated representative to waive, liability under this section governing eligiblity and standards of payment for treatment of alcoholic patients whenever in his or her opinion circumstances warrant that action; Provided, that a record of each waiver shall be kept in a special file in the Department of Human Services and shall be made available to reviewing bodies designated by the Mayor.

 

1001.4The Director shall review the provisions of this section at intervals not to exceed one (1) year and recommend to the Mayor any revisions that may be indicated. Changes in per diem rates only may exceed this interval if required.

 

1001.5Liability for payment for the treatment given to alcoholic patients shall be determined, according to ability to pay, in the following order:

 

(a)Person receiving treatment (or his or her estate);

 

(b)Father;

 

(c)Mother;

 

(d)Spouse; or

 

(e)Adult children.

 

1001.6Determination of ability to pay shall take into consideration income and resources, such as liquid assets, compensation, or insurance.

 

1001.7The ability to pay of the patient and legally responsible relatives shall be determined in accordance with income standards and administrative guidelines established by the Director of the D.C. Department of Human Services.

 

1001.8The patient, or his or her responsible relative, shall be required to sign a contract to meet the agreed terms of payment.

 

1001.9The contract required by §1001.8 may be renegotiated whenever any change of factors occurs upon which the original patient contract was based and shall be effective as of the date of renegotiation.

 

1001.10Treatment services provided to alcoholic patients shall be provided at the expense of the District to all patients for the first month. After the first month, patients of the Rehabilitation Center for Alcoholics with a gross income between one hundred dollars ($100) and six hundred dollars ($600) per month shall be charged at the rate of twenty percent (20%) of their monthly income or four dollars ($4.00) per day, whichever is less.

 

1001.11Patients with a gross income of six hundred dollars ($600) a month, or with sufficient liquid assets as determined by the Director of the Department of Human Services, shall be charged at the rate of twenty percent (20%) of their income or eighteen dollars and twenty-five cents ($18.25) per day, whichever is less.

 

1001.12In cases where patients are unable to pay, the responsible relative of the alcoholic patient, as set forth in §1001.5, shall be charged for the cost of treatment on the same basis as patients.

 

source

Commissioner's Order 74 23 (January 31, 1974), published at 20 DCR 759 (March 4, 1974).