2004 Legislation
Print Friendly

HOUSE BILL NO. 704 – Health ins info, electronic access

HOUSE BILL NO. 704

View Bill Status

View Bill Text

View Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



Text to be added within a bill has been marked with Bold and
Underline. Text to be removed has been marked with
Strikethrough and Italic. How these codes are actually displayed will
vary based on the browser software you are using.

This sentence is marked with bold and underline to show added text.

This sentence is marked with strikethrough and italic, indicating
text to be removed.

Bill Status



H0704...........................................................by BUSINESS
HEALTH INSURANCE - Adds to existing law to provide for electronic access to
health insurance information; to provide for notification; to provide for
paper copies upon consumer request; and to define "carrier."
                                                                        
02/16    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/17    Rpt prt - to W/M

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-seventh Legislature                 Second Regular Session - 2004
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 704
                                                                        
                                   BY BUSINESS COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO INSURANCE; AMENDING CHAPTER 18, TITLE 41, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDI-
  3        TION OF A NEW SECTION 41-1846,  IDAHO  CODE,  TO  PROVIDE  FOR  ELECTRONIC
  4        ACCESS TO HEALTH INSURANCE INFORMATION FOR CONSUMERS, TO PROVIDE FOR NOTI-
  5        FICATION,  TO PROVIDE FOR PAPER COPIES UPON CONSUMER REQUEST AND TO DEFINE
  6        "CARRIER."
                                                                        
  7    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  8        SECTION 1.  That Chapter 18, Title 41, Idaho Code, be,  and  the  same  is
  9    hereby  amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
 10    ignated as Section 41-1846, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
                                                                        
 11        41-1846.  CONSUMER ACCESS TO INFORMATION. (1)  Notwithstanding  any  other
 12    provision  of  law  to the contrary, a carrier that maintains an internet site
 13    may make the following information and documents available through its  inter-
 14    net  site  if  such carrier has in place appropriate administrative, technical
 15    and physical safeguards to protect the privacy of  protected  health  informa-
 16    tion:
 17        (a)  Provider directories that identify participating providers;
 18        (b)  Prescription drug formularies;
 19        (c)  Group and individual health care applications;
 20        (d)  Group and individual health care coverage policies;
 21        (e)  Certificates  of  insurance issued under a group health care coverage
 22        policy; and
 23        (f)  Explanations of benefits.
 24        (2)  If a carrier chooses to make any  of  the  information  or  documents
 25    specified  in  subsection  (1)  of this section available through its internet
 26    site, the carrier shall:
 27        (a)  Provide a paper copy of the information or document  to  an  enrollee
 28        only at the request of the enrollee; and
 29        (b)  Post  a notification at the internet site advising enrollees of their
 30        right to receive a paper copy of the information or document and the  pro-
 31        cedure for obtaining a paper copy.
 32        (3)  If  the  policy  is  an individual health policy, the application for
 33    coverage shall:
 34        (a)  Contain a notice that the information and documents set forth in sub-
 35        section (1) of this section will be provided electronically; and
 36        (b)  Set forth a procedure for the policyholder to obtain a paper copy  of
 37        the information and documents.
 38        (4)  If  the  policy is a group health policy, the enrollment form used to
 39    obtain coverage under the policy shall:
 40        (a)  Contain a notice that the information and documents set forth in sub-
 41        section (1) of this section will be provided electronically; and
 42        (b)  Set forth a procedure for the enrollee to obtain a paper copy of  the
 43        information and documents.
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1        (5)  As  used  in  this  section, "carrier" means any entity that provides
  2    health insurance in this state and includes an insurance company,  a  hospital
  3    or  professional  service  corporation,  a fraternal benefit society, a health
  4    maintenance organization, any entity providing health  insurance  coverage  or
  5    benefits  to residents of this state as certificate holders under a group pol-
  6    icy issued or delivered outside of this state, and any other entity  providing
  7    a plan of health insurance or health benefits subject to state insurance regu-
  8    lation.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                      STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                            RS 13925
                                
This act would allow health plans to take advantage of current
technologies to ensure that consumers receive information that is
the most current and least costly.  This act would allow health
insurance carriers to provide information to members via a secure
internet site.

Information and documents that could be provided electronically
include provider directories, prescription drug formularies, group
and individual health care applications, group and individual
health care coverage policies, certificates of insurance issued
under a group health care coverage policy, applications for
insurance, and explanation of benefits.

Paper copies of the above documents would also be provided at the
request of an enrollee.

                          FISCAL NOTE

There is no fiscal impact.



Contact:  Rep. Mark Snodgrass
          332-1000

          
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                    H 704