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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
]]]] 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
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