The Florida Senate

395.4036  Trauma payments.--

(1)  Recognizing the Legislature's stated intent to provide financial support to the current verified trauma centers and to provide incentives for the establishment of additional trauma centers as part of a system of state-sponsored trauma centers, the department shall utilize funds collected under s. 318.18(14) and deposited into the Administrative Trust Fund of the department to ensure the availability and accessibility of trauma services throughout the state as provided in this subsection.

(a)  Twenty percent of the total funds collected under this subsection shall be distributed to verified trauma centers located in a region that has a local funding contribution as of December 31. Distribution of funds under this paragraph shall be based on trauma caseload volume.

(b)  Forty percent of the total funds collected under this subsection shall be distributed to verified trauma centers based on trauma caseload volume of the previous calendar year. The determination of caseload volume for distribution of funds under this paragraph shall be based on the department's Trauma Registry data.

(c)  Forty percent of the total funds collected under this subsection shall be distributed to verified trauma centers based on severity of trauma patients. The determination of severity for distribution of funds under this paragraph shall be based on the department's Injury Severity Scores, weighted based on scores of 1-14 and 15 plus.

Trauma centers may request that their distributions from the Administrative Trust Fund be used as intergovernmental transfer funds in the Medicaid program.

(2)(a)  Any trauma center not subject to audit pursuant to s. 215.97 shall annually attest, under penalties of perjury, that such proceeds were used in compliance with law. The annual attestation shall be made in a form and format determined by the department. The annual attestation shall be submitted to the department for review within 9 months after the end of the organization's fiscal year.

(b)  Any trauma center subject to audit pursuant to s. 215.97 shall submit an audit report in accordance with rules adopted by the Auditor General.

(3)  The department, working with the Agency for Health Care Administration, shall maximize resources for trauma services wherever possible.

History.--s. 7, ch. 2005-194.