TITLE 41

INSURANCE

CHAPTER 56

PROMPT PAYMENT OF CLAIMS

41-5602.  Prompt payment of claims. (1) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, an insurer shall process a claim for payment for health care services rendered by a practitioner or facility to a beneficiary in accordance with this section.

(2)  If a beneficiary, practitioner or facility submits an electronic claim to an insurer within thirty (30) days of the date on which service was delivered, an insurer shall pay or deny the claim not later than thirty (30) days after receipt of the claim.

(3)  If a beneficiary, practitioner or facility submits a paper claim for payment to an insurer within forty-five (45) days of the date on which service was delivered, an insurer shall pay or deny the claim not later than forty-five (45) days after receipt of the claim.

(4)  If an insurer denies the claim or needs additional information to process the claim, the insurer shall notify the practitioner or facility and the beneficiary in writing within thirty (30) days of receipt of an electronic claim or within forty-five (45) days of receipt of a paper claim. The notice shall state why the insurer denied the claim.

(5)  If the claim was denied because more information was required to process the claim, the notice shall specifically describe all information and supporting documentation needed to evaluate the claim for processing. If the practitioner or facility submits the information and documentation identified by the insurer within thirty (30) days of receipt of the written notice, the insurer shall process and pay the claim within thirty (30) days of receipt of the additional information or, if appropriate, deny the claim.

(6)  Any claim submitted pursuant to this chapter shall use the current procedural terminology (CPT) code in effect, as published by the American medical association, the international classification of disease (ICD) code in effect, as published by the United States department of health and human services, or the healthcare common procedural coding system (HCPCS) code in effect, as published by the United States centers for medicaid and medicare services (CMS).

(7)  This chapter shall not apply to claims submitted under policies or certificates of insurance for specific disease, hospital confinement indemnity, accident-only, credit, medicare supplement, disability income insurance, student health benefits only coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance, worker’s compensation or similar insurance, automobile medical payment insurance or nonrenewable short-term coverage issued for a period of twelve (12) months or less.

History:

[41-5602, added 2004, ch. 290, sec. 1, p. 813; am. 2005, ch. 66, sec. 1, p. 231.]