The county commissioners in their respective counties shall, under such limitations and restrictions as are prescribed by law:
(1) Pay for necessary medical services for the medically indigent residents of their counties as provided in this chapter and as approved by the county commissioners at the reimbursement rate up to the total sum of eleven thousand dollars ($11,000) in the aggregate per resident in any consecutive twelve (12) month period or contract for the provision of necessary medical services pursuant to sections 31-3520 and 31-3521, Idaho Code.
(2) Have the right to contract with providers, transfer patients, negotiate provider agreements, conduct utilization management or any portion thereof, pay for authorized expenses directly, or indirectly through the use of alternative programs, that would assist in managing costs of providing health care for indigent persons, and all other powers incident to the county’s duties created by this chapter.
(3) Cooperate with the department, the board and contractors retained by the department or the board to provide services including, but not limited to, medicaid eligibility review and utilization management on behalf of the counties and the board.
(4) Have the jurisdiction and power to provide county hospitals and public general hospitals for the county and others who are sick, injured, maimed, aged and infirm and to erect, enlarge, purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire, and to officer, maintain and improve hospitals, hospital grounds, nurses’ homes, shelter care facilities and residential or assisted living facilities as defined in section 39-3301, Idaho Code, superintendent’s quarters, medical clinics, as that term is defined in section 39-1319, Idaho Code, medical clinic grounds or any other necessary buildings, and to equip the same, and to replace equipment, and for this purpose said commissioners may levy an additional tax of not to exceed six hundredths percent (.06%) of the market value for assessment purposes on all taxable property within the county. The term “public general hospitals” as used in this subsection shall be construed to include nursing homes.