Florida Statutes Title XXIX. Public Health § 394.4789. Establishment of referral process and eligibility determination

(1) It is the intent of the Legislature that a hospital which seeks payment under s. 394.4788 shall accept referrals from the department. However, a hospital shall have the right to refuse the admission of a patient due to lack of functional bed space or lack of services appropriate to a patient's specific treatment and no hospital shall be required to accept referrals if the costs for treating the referred patient are no longer reimbursable because the hospital has reached the level of contribution made to the PMATF in the previous fiscal year. Furthermore, a hospital that does not seek compensation for indigent mentally ill patients under the provisions of this act shall not be obliged to accept department referrals, notwithstanding any agreements it may have entered into with the department. The right of refusal in this subsection shall not affect a hospital's requirement to provide emergency care pursuant to s. 395.1041 or other statutory requirements related to the provision of emergency care.

(2) The department shall adopt a patient eligibility form and shall be responsible for eligibility determination. However, the department may contract with participating psychiatric hospitals for eligibility determination. The eligibility form shall provide the mechanism for determining a patient's eligibility according to the requirements of s. 394.4788(1).