SS/SCS/SB 878 - Under current law, the department of health and senior services processes claims submitted by health care providers requesting setoffs of income tax refunds to satisfy outstanding debts owed by taxpayers. This act repeals the authority of the department of health and senior services to administer such a program and creates a system for ambulance service providers to utilize a private claim clearinghouse to process and verify requests for setoffs of taxpayer income tax refunds and lottery winnings to satisfy outstanding debts for ambulance services received. The claim clearinghouse will be governed by a six member board of directors consisting of three representatives of the ambulance industry and three representatives of the public. Prior to utilizing the clearinghouse, an ambulance service provider must provide certain notices to patients and allow for various levels of review and appeals of such claims. To offset expenses incurred in collecting debts owed to ambulance service providers, a collection fee is assessed to each offset which is allocated among the clearinghouse and the department of revenue. The department of revenue will only be required to pay amounts setoff to the claim clearinghouse twice each month. The act establishes a priority, with regard to setoffs, in which debts owed to ambulance service providers receive the least priority.JASON ZAMKUS