HAR §17-1737-20. Inpatient care for substance abusers

(a) Prior authorization for medical pensioners plan cases are required for inpatient care for alcohol and non-alcohol substance abuse regardless of whether the patient is admitted to a medical unit of the hospital or to the psychiatric unit of the hospital. (b) Inpatient care for alcohol substance abuse shall be as follows: (1) Patients requiring only detoxification shall be referred to a detoxification facility for treatment; (2) If a detoxification facility is not available, the attending physician may admit the patient to a licensed general hospital; and (3) Patients requiring detoxification in addition to psychiatric or medical care shall be referred to an authorized inpatient psychiatric facility for psychiatric care or to a licensed general hospital for medical care. (c) Inpatient care for non-alcohol substance abuse shall be as follows: (1) Patients requiring only detoxification for substance abuse shall be referred by the attending physician to an appropriate facility for detoxification; and (2) Patients requiring detoxification in addition to psychiatric or medical care shall be referred by the attending physician to an appropriate facility for treatment. (d) Prior authorization shall not be required for the initial forty-eight hours of emergency care. If the attending physician determines that the patient UNOFFICIAL 1737-22 requires further inpatient care the patient shall be transferred to an appropriate facility. (e) Maximum hospital stay for patients requiring only detoxification shall be ten days. (f) Hospital stay for patients requiring more than ten days for detoxification may be allowed provided that there is a justification that patient requires more than ten days for inpatient care. [Eff 08/01/94 ] (Auth: HRS §346-14; 42 C.F.R. §§431.10, 405.1020) (Imp: 42 C.F.R. §§405.116, 405.1020)