The Florida Senate

641.54  Information disclosure.--

(1)  Every health maintenance organization shall maintain a current list, by geographic area, of all hospitals which are routinely and regularly used by the organization, indicating to which hospitals the organization may refer particular subscribers for nonemergency services. The list shall also include all physicians under the organization's direct employ or who are under contract or other arrangement with the organization to provide health care services to subscribers. The list shall contain the following information for each physician:

(a)  Name.

(b)  Office location.

(c)  Medical area or areas of specialty.

(d)  Board certification or eligibility in any area.

(e)  License number.

(2)  The list shall be made available, upon request, to the department. The list shall also be made available, upon request:

(a)  With respect to negotiation, application, or effectuation of a group health maintenance contract, to the employer or other person who will hold the contract on behalf of the subscriber group. The list may be restricted to include only physicians and hospitals in the group's geographic area.

(b)  With respect to an individual health maintenance contract or any contract offered to a person who is entitled to have payments for health care costs made under Medicare, to the person considering or making application to, or under contract with, the health maintenance organization. The list may be restricted to include only physicians and hospitals in the person's geographic area.

(3)  The organization shall make available to subscribers, upon request, a detailed description of the authorization and referral process for health care services. Any changes in the organization's authorization and referral process shall be reported to the agency immediately.

(4)  The organization shall make available to subscribers, upon request, a detailed description of the process used to determine whether health care services are "medically necessary." Any change in the organization's definition of "medically necessary" or the process used to determine medical necessity shall be reported to the agency immediately.

(5)  Each organization shall provide to subscribers, upon request, the following:

(a)  A description of the organization's quality assurance program.

(b)  Policies and procedures relating to the organization's prescription drug benefits, including the disclosure, upon request of a subscriber or potential subscriber, of whether the organization uses a formulary. A subscriber or potential subscriber may also request information as to whether a specific drug is covered by the organization.

(c)  Policies and procedures relating to the confidentiality and disclosure of the subscriber's medical records.

(d)  The decisionmaking process used for approving or denying experimental or investigational medical treatments.

(e)  Policies and procedures for addressing the needs of non-English-speaking subscribers.

(f)  A detailed description of the process used to examine qualifications of and the credentialing of all providers under contract with or employed by the organization.

History.--ss. 31, 47, ch. 85-177; s. 22, ch. 87-236; ss. 187, 188, ch. 91-108; s. 91, ch. 91-282; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 9, ch. 97-159.

Note.--Former s. 641.3109.