1     
RURAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES

2     
2023 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Phil Lyman

5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill addresses the rural county health care facilities tax.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     clarifies that a third, fourth, fifth, or sixth class county may use revenue from a rural
13     county facilities health care tax to fund rural emergency medical services in that
14     county; and
15          ▸     makes technical changes.
16     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
17          None
18     Other Special Clauses:
19          None
20     Utah Code Sections Affected:
21     AMENDS:
22          59-12-801, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 50
23     

24     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25          Section 1. Section 59-12-801 is amended to read:
26          59-12-801. Definitions.
27          As used in this part:

28          (1) "Emergency medical services" [is as] means the same as that term is defined in
29     Section 26-8a-102.
30          (2) "Federally qualified health center" is as defined in 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1395x.
31          (3) "Freestanding urgent care center" means a facility that provides outpatient health
32     care service:
33          (a) on an as-needed basis, without an appointment;
34          (b) to the public;
35          (c) for the diagnosis and treatment of a medical condition if that medical condition
36     does not require hospitalization or emergency intervention for a life threatening or potentially
37     permanently disabling condition; and
38          (d) including one or more of the following services:
39          (i) a medical history physical examination;
40          (ii) an assessment of health status; or
41          (iii) treatment:
42          (A) for a variety of medical conditions; and
43          (B) that is commonly offered in a physician's office.
44          (4) "Nursing care facility" [is as] means the same as that term is defined in Section
45     26-21-2.
46          (5) "Rural city hospital" means a hospital owned by a city that is located within a third,
47     fourth, fifth, or sixth class county.
48          (6) "Rural county health care facility" means a:
49          (a) rural county hospital; or
50          (b) rural county nursing care facility.
51          (7) "Rural county hospital" means a hospital owned by a county that is:
52          (a) a third, fourth, fifth, or sixth class county, as defined in Section 17-50-501; and
53          (b) located outside of a standard metropolitan statistical area, as designated by the
54     United States Bureau of the Census.
55          (8) "Rural county nursing care facility" means a nursing care facility owned by:
56          (a) a county that is:
57          (i) a third, fourth, fifth, or sixth class county, as defined in Section 17-50-501; and
58          (ii) located outside of a standard metropolitan statistical area, as designated by the

59     United States Census Bureau; or
60          (b) a special service district if the special service district is:
61          (i) created for the purpose of operating the nursing care facility; and
62          (ii) within a county that is:
63          (A) a third, fourth, fifth, or sixth class county, as defined in Section 17-50-501; and
64          (B) located outside of a standard metropolitan statistical area, as designated by the
65     United States Census Bureau.
66          (9) "Rural emergency medical services" means emergency medical services that are
67     provided by a county that is:
68          (a) a [fifth] third, fourth, fifth, or sixth class county, as defined in Section 17-50-501;
69     and
70          (b) located outside of a standard metropolitan statistical area, as designated by the
71     United States Census Bureau.
72          (10) "Rural health clinic" is as defined in 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1395x.