38 CFR 78.60 – Suicide prevention services: Clinical services for emergency treatment
(a) Grantees providing or coordinating the provision of clinical services for emergency treatment must provide or coordinate the provision of clinical services for emergency treatment of a participant.
(b) If an eligible individual is furnished clinical services for emergency treatment under paragraph (a) of this section and the grantee determines that the eligible individual requires ongoing services, the grantee must refer the eligible individual to VA for additional care. If the eligible individual refuses the grantee’s referral to VA, any ongoing clinical services provided to the eligible individual by the grantee are at the expense of the grantee. The grantee may not charge, bill, or otherwise hold liable eligible individuals for the receipt of such care or services.
(c) If a participant other than an eligible individual is furnished clinical services for emergency treatment under paragraph (a) of this section and the grantee determines that the participant requires ongoing services, the grantee must refer the participant to appropriate health care services in the area for additional care. Except as provided for under paragraph (a) of this section, funds provided under this grant program may not be used to provide ongoing clinical services to such participants, and any ongoing clinical services provided to the participant by the grantee are at the expense of the grantee. The grantee may not charge, bill, or otherwise hold liable such participants for the receipt of such care or services.
(d) For purposes of this section, emergency treatment means medical services, professional services, ambulance services, ancillary care and medication (including a short course of medication related to and necessary for the treatment of the emergency condition that is provided directly to or prescribed for the patient for use after the emergency condition is stabilized and the patient is discharged) was rendered in a medical emergency of such nature that a prudent layperson would have reasonably expected that delay in seeking immediate medical attention would have been hazardous to life or health. This standard is met by an emergency medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) that a prudent layperson who possesses an average knowledge of health and medicine could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in placing the health of the individual in serious jeopardy, serious impairment to bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.
(e) The direct provision of clinical services for emergency treatment by grantees under this section is not prohibited by § 78.80(a).