Senate Engrossed

 

 

 

 

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-third Legislature

Second Regular Session

2018

 

 

SENATE BILL 1451

 

 

 

AN ACT

 

amending title 13, chapter 37, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 13-3730; relating to patient referral inducements.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 


Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.  Title 13, chapter 37, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 13-3730, to read:

START_STATUTE13-3730.  Unlawful patient brokering; classification; definition

A.  It is unlawful for a person, including a health care provider, health care facility or sober living home, when providing or offering substance use disorder services, to offer, pay, Solicit or receive any commission, bonus, rebate, kickback or bribe, directly or indirectly, in cash or in kind, or engage in any split‑fee arrangement, in any form whatsoever, in return for either:

1.  Referring patients or clients to or from a sober living home.

2.  Accepting or acknowledging the enrollment of a patient or client for substance use disorder services at a sober living home.

B.  A violation of this section is:

1.  A class 3 felony if the consideration has a value of one thousand dollars or more.

2.  A class 4 felony if the consideration has a value of more than one hundred dollars but less than one thousand dollars.

3.  A class 6 felony if the consideration has a value of one hundred dollars or less.

C.  For the purposes of this section, "sober living home" means any premises, place or building that provides alcohol-free or drug-free housing and that:

1.  Promotes independent living and life skills development.

2.  May provide activities that are directed primarily toward recovery from substance use disorders.

3.  Provides a supervised setting to a group of unrelated individuals who are recovering from substance use disorders.

4.  Does not provide any medical or clinical services or medication administration on-site, except for verification of abstinence. END_STATUTE