Senate Bill sb1188c1

    Florida Senate - 2007                           CS for SB 1188

    By the Committee on Banking and Insurance; and Senator Lynn





    597-2469-07

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to direct payment for services

  3         under health insurance policies; amending s.

  4         627.638, F.S.; including licensed basic life

  5         support or advanced life support providers

  6         under provisions for direct payment for certain

  7         services under health insurance policies;

  8         providing an effective date.

  9  

10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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12         Section 1.  Section 627.638, Florida Statutes, is

13  amended to read:

14         627.638  Direct payment for ambulance, hospital,

15  medical services.--

16         (1)  Any health insurance policy insuring against loss

17  or expense due to hospital confinement or to medical and

18  related services may provide for payment of benefits directly

19  to any recognized hospital, licensed basic life support or

20  advanced life support provider, doctor, or other person who

21  provided the services, in accordance with the provisions of

22  the policy. To comply with this section, the words "or to or

23  from the hospital, licensed basic life support or advanced

24  life support provider, doctor, or person rendering services

25  covered by this policy," or similar words appropriate to the

26  terms of the policy, shall be added to applicable provisions

27  of the policy.

28         (2)  Whenever, in any health insurance claim form, an

29  insured specifically authorizes payment of benefits directly

30  to any recognized hospital, licensed basic life support or

31  advanced life support provider, physician, or dentist, the

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2007                           CS for SB 1188
    597-2469-07




 1  insurer shall make such payment to the designated provider of

 2  such services, unless otherwise provided in the insurance

 3  contract. The insurance contract may not prohibit, and claims

 4  forms must provide an option for, the payment of benefits

 5  directly to a licensed hospital, licensed basic life support

 6  or advanced life support provider, physician, or dentist for

 7  care provided pursuant to s. 395.1041 and to a licensed basic

 8  life support or advanced life support provider licensed

 9  pursuant to chapter 401 for transportation or treatment. The

10  insurer may require written attestation of assignment of

11  benefits. Payment to the provider from the insurer may not be

12  more than the amount that the insurer would otherwise have

13  paid without the assignment.

14         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.

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16          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
17                         Senate Bill 1188

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19  The committee substitute provides the following change:

20       Prohibits health insurance contracts from prohibiting the
         payment of benefits directly to a licensed basic life
21       support or advanced life support provider.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.