South Carolina Code of Regulations
Chapter 61 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
Subchapter 61-89 - Repealed
Section 61-89.4 - General Guidelines

(a) Patients above 250% poverty or clients who have Medicaid may be encouraged to use other providers but may not be refused admission to the program. They may be given a lower priority in the case load.

(b) Federal regulations require that services be provided without regard to religion, race, color, national origin, creed, handicapping conditions, sex, number of pregnancies, marital status, age, or contraceptive preference. Particular age or risk groups may be given priority, but no group may be denied service because of any of the listed factors.

(c) Services, including supplies and medications, may be denied to a client who refuses to pay, if there is documentation that the client has adequate resources. This requires careful counseling and documentation. Staff must discriminate between inability to pay and unwillingness to pay.

(d) Documentation of income and outgo may be required, according to general departmental policy, if necessary.

(e) Oral contraceptives should be supplied according to the sliding fee scale. However, if the client loses her supply of pills, she should be charged cost for replacement cycles. This must be documented in the record. If clients abuse this policy, pills should be withheld and appropriate measures taken.

(f) Donations should be actively encouraged. Patients and the community should be made aware that they need to support the services and that even small amounts of money will help.

(g) The District Medical Director or assignees thereof may approve exceptions to these policies to recognize true inability to pay for justifiable reasons, in individual cases.