§ 143.790 RSMo — Unpaid health care services to hospitals or health care providers, claim may be made on debtor's tax refund — remainder to be debt of department of health and senior services

1. Any hospital or health care provider who has provided health care services to an individual who was not covered by a health insurance policy or was not eligible to receive benefits under the state's medical assistance program of needy persons, Title XIX, P.L. 89-97, 1965 amendments to the federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 301, et seq., under chapter 208 and the health insurance for uninsured children under sections 208.631 to 208.657 at the time such health care services were administered, and such person has failed to pay for such services for a period greater than ninety days, may submit a claim to the director of the department of health and senior services for the unpaid health care services. The director of the department of health and senior services shall review such claim. If the claim appears meritorious on its face, the claim for the unpaid medical services shall constitute a debt of the department of health and senior services for purposes of sections 143.782 to 143.788 , and the director may certify the debt to the department of revenue in order to set off the debtor's income tax refund. Once the debt has been certified, the director of the department of health and senior services shall submit the debt to the department of revenue under the setoff procedure established under section 143.783 .

2. At the time of certification, the director of the department of health and senior services shall supply any information necessary to identify each debtor whose refund is sought to be set off pursuant to section 143.784 and certify the amount of the debt or debts owed by each such debtor.

3. If a debtor identified by the director of the department of health and senior services is determined by the department of revenue to be entitled to a refund, the department of revenue shall notify the department of health and senior services that a refund has been set off on behalf of the department of health and senior services for purposes of this section and shall certify the amount of such setoff, which shall not exceed the amount of the claimed debt certified. When the refund owed exceeds the claimed debt, the department shall send the excess amount to the debtor within a reasonable time after such excess is determined.

4. The department of revenue shall notify the debtor by certified mail the taxpayer whose refund is sought to be set off that such setoff will be made. The notice shall contain the provisions contained in subsection 3 of section 143.784 , including the opportunity for a hearing to contest the setoff provided therein, and shall otherwise substantially comply with the provisions of subsection 3 of section 143.784 .

5. Once a debt has been set off and finally determined under the applicable provisions of sections 143.782 to 143.788 , and the department of health and senior services has received the funds transferred from the department of revenue, the department of health and senior services shall settle with each hospital or health care provider for the amounts that the department of revenue set off for such party. At the time of each settlement, each hospital or health care provider shall be charged for administration expenses which shall not exceed twenty percent of the collected amount.

6. Lottery prize payouts made under section 313.321 shall also be subject to the setoff procedures established in this section and any rules and regulations promulgated thereto.

7. The director of the department of revenue shall have priority to offset any delinquent tax owed to the state of Missouri. Any remaining refund shall be offset to pay a state agency debt or to meet a child support obligation that is enforced by the family support division on behalf of a person who is receiving support enforcement services under section 454.425 .

8. The director of the department of revenue and the director of the department of health and senior services shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to administer the provisions of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2007, shall be invalid and void.