Blog Posts Categorized: General - Page 12

Indiana Medicaid transportation providers need to be enrolled and have a bond on file with the state. Keep reading to find out how to enroll and get a surety bond.

How to enroll

Medicaid transportation providers in Indiana enroll with Indiana Health Coverage Programs (IHCP), but their enrollment and the surety bond are required by the Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning (OMPP). There are several different types of Medicaid providers that enroll with IHCP, and transportation providers’ type code is 26. Transportation providers also choose a specialty:

• 260 – Ambulance
• 261 – Air ambulance
• 262 – Bus
• 263 – Taxi
• 264 – Common carrier (ambulatory)
• 265 – Common carrier (non-ambulatory)
• 266 – Family member

Enrolling as a Medicaid transportation provider allows businesses to transport Medicaid recipients. All applicants need to complete the IHCP’s�enrollment form, and consult the Provider Enrollment Type and Specialty Matrix to which other documents need to be included. Here’s some of the documents required if you’re enrolling as a type 264 or 264 Medicaid transportation provider:

• Provider Agreement
• W-9 form
• Copy of all drivers’ licenses for all drivers
• Application fee
• $50,000 surety bond (for-profit providers only)
• MCS certificate from the Indiana Department of Revenue (for-profit providers only)
• Proof of nonprofit status if applicable
• USDOT number (interstate carriers only)
• Proof of insurance
• Fingerprints and background checks

Check the Matrix to see the documentation your specialty needs to provide. You can enroll through the IHCP Portal or you can submit your enrollment form and documents to:

Provider Enrollment Unit
P.O. Box 7263
Indianapolis, IN 46207-7263

Getting an Indiana Medicaid transportation provider surety bond

Businesses enrolling as taxis and for-profit ambulatory or non-ambulatory carriers are required to get a $50,000 surety bond. Ambulatory means that clients being transported can walk to get in and out of the vehicle, while non-ambulatory means that clients are transported in wheelchairs. The bond is required to protect against the filing of “duplicate, erroneous, or false” Medicaid claims. The bond needs to remain in effect for at least three years after the Medicaid transportation provider enrollment is submitted.

Ready to get bonded in Indiana? Get in touch with Single Source Insurance for a free surety bond quote!�

Georgia agricultural products dealers have to get licensed and bonded before beginning operations,. Keep reading to find out how it works.

Who is considered an agricultural products dealer?

First, let’s define agricultural products according to the Rules and Regulation of the State of Georgia:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Pecans
• Cotton

That definition does not include:

• Dairy products
• Tobacco
• Eggs
• Grains
• Other basic farm crops

An agricultural products dealer, then, is anyone (individual, business entity, etc.) who buys, sells, exchanges, or otherwise deals in ag products after purchasing or receiving on consignment ag products from an agricultural products producer or their representative. The Georgia Department of Agriculture issues ag products dealers’ licenses and requires the surety bond. Here’s some of what information you’ll provide on the application:

• Business and applicant name
• Business ownership type and names of other owners
• Names of agents or buyers that represent the applicant in Georgia
• Type of agricultural products to be handled
• Surety bond

Once completed, mail the application and bond to:

Georgia Department of Agriculture
Markets Division
340 Agricultural Building
19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. SW
Atlanta, GA 30334

Who else needs a surety bond?

Georgia agricultural products dealers aren’t the only professionals in the industry who need a bond. According the Department, anyone holding these licenses also need similar bonds:

• Cotton dealers and warehouses
• Grain dealers and warehouses
• Brokers/sales agents of agricultural products
• Distributors of agricultural products
• Chain stores
• Livestock/equine sales establishments
• Livestock/equine dealers
• Livestock/equine brokers/livestock sales agents

Contact the Department’s Bonding Section for more information on getting licenses and bonds for those professions.

Getting bonded

The amount of bond coverage Georgia agricultural products dealers need depends on the highest dollar value of business done in one month with producers in the state. If the dealer is new to business, they will use the highest estimated one-month dollar amount. This bond is required to guarantee the dealer’s accurate payment to any producers, agents, or representatives they do business with. Should the ag products dealer violate the terms of the bond, its coverage provides a means for any damaged parties to seek reimbursement.

Ready to get the Georgia agricultural products dealer surety bond? Single Source Insurance is ready to help!�

New York City limousine and other for-hire vehicle base stations need to get a license and surety bond before they can begin offering services.

What’s a for-hire vehicle base station?

New York for-hire vehicle base stations are the locations from which for-hire vehicles are dispatched. The New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) licenses for-hire vehicle bases as either livery, black car, or luxury limousine bases. For-hire vehicles cannot be taxis or commuter buses and must hold 20 or fewer passengers with three or more doors. Here’s the difference between the three license types:

• Livery base stations dispatch for-hire livery vehicles that have been reserved ahead of time�what you might think of as a car service. Livery vehicles carry six or fewer passengers and charge based on mileage, time, or another predetermined metric.
• Black car base stations also dispatch vehicles on a pre-arranged basis, but the vehicles are owned by franchisees of the base station or are members of the cooperative that operates the base station. In addition, more than 90% of the base’s business must be paid by a method other than direct cash payments from the customer.
• Luxury limousine base stations dispatch pre-arranged limousines, and like black car base stations, 90% of business is not done via cash payments from customers. And, like livery base stations, limousine stations charge by the mile, by the minute or flat rate. Limousines seat 20 or fewer passengers.

For-hire vehicle base station licensees must schedule an appointment with the NYC TLC in order to submit their applications and fees. Each license type is required to submit proof of insurance coverage in varying amounts, and all vehicles affiliated with the base station need to be on file with the TLC. See the TLC’s extensive resources to be sure you don’t miss a step in the application process.

How to get licensed and bonded

In addition to licenses and insurance, for-hire vehicle base stations in New York City need to be bonded in the amount of $5,000. The surety bond is to protect the city of New York if the licensee violates the terms of the bond and consequently, of their license. If you are seeking this license, get familiar with the state laws pertaining to operating a for-hire vehicle base station.�All vehicles your base station uses as for-hire vehicles must be licensed by the TLC and have a current NYC commercial use motor vehicle tax stamp. If you are fined any civil penalties and do not pay them, the city can file a claim against your bond.

Ready to become a licensed NYC for-hire vehicle base station? Get started by getting your surety bond with Single Source Insurance!

Photo by�Alice Donovan Rouse on Unsplash

In Nebraska, some alcoholic beverage licensees will need to get a surety bond along with their license. Keep reading to see who needs the bond.

Nebraska alcoholic beverage seller licensing

If you’re seeking an alcoholic beverage seller’s license in Nebraska, it will be issued by the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission. These are the license classifications that need a surety bond:

• Class L�Craft Brewery
• Class V�Manufacturer (beer, wine, spirits)
• Class X�Wholesale Liquor
• Class Y�Farm Winery
• Class Z�Microdistillery

Linked above are the license applications for each of those classes�you can find other licensing forms here. The Commission also provides a guide for licensees with a quick rundown of the information they’ll need to provide the state depending on the type of business the licensee applies as (LLC, corporation, etc.). The Commission also provides an informational brochure of some helpful things to know as a liquor licensee. Here are a few key rules and regulations you need to know as a licensee:

• Employees must be 19 years old before they can serve alcohol.
• Alcohol cannot be sold, delivered, or dispensed between one and six a.m., and no alcohol can be consumed after 1:15 a.m.
• Alcohol is not to be sold on Sunday, unless permitted by local ordinance.
• Beer gardens must be fenced or walled in to prevent passing alcohol back and forth.
• Liquor licenses must be framed and displayed, and renewed yearly.
• Open containers of alcohol cannot leave the premises.

Because the sale and handling of alcoholic beverages is highly regulated, make sure you’re familiar with the Commission’s Rules and Regulations�and the Nebraska Liquor Control Act before beginning the license application process.

Why is this bond required?

The Commission requires certain alcoholic beverage licensees to get a surety bond as a guarantee that the licensee will pay their taxes on time and in the correct amount. The amount of bond that’s required varies depending on the license type, but a minimum bond of $1,000 is specified, except for wholesalers who must post a minimum $5,000 bond. This prevents the state from losing money for nonpayment of taxes. Be aware that if a claim is filed against your bond and subsequently proven and paid out, you’ll need to reimburse the surety company for the amount of the paid claim.

Refer to��53-164.01 of the Nebraska Revised Statutes for more information on paying taxes and calculating surety bond liability amounts. If you’re ready to get a Nebraska alcoholic beverage tax bond, get in touch with Single Source Insurance today!