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Senate Bill 365 |
Senate Author: Carona |
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Effective: 9-1-13 |
House Sponsor: Parker |
Senate Bill 365 amends the Insurance Code to make certain podiatrists or therapeutic optometrists who join an established professional practice that has a current contract in force with a managed care plan eligible for expedited credentialing with respect to inclusion in the managed care plan issuer's health benefit plan network. For payment purposes only, the bill requires a managed care plan issuer to treat an applicant that meets the eligibility requirements for expedited credentialing as if the applicant were a participating provider in the health benefit plan network when the applicant provides services to the managed care plan's enrollees. The bill authorizes the managed care plan to exclude the applicant from any listing of participating podiatrists or participating therapeutic optometrists, as applicable, pending the approval of a submitted application. The bill sets out provisions concerning the effect of an applicant's failure to meet the managed care plan issuer's credentialing requirements with respect to payments made to the applicant by the plan or an enrollee of the plan. The bill grants a managed care plan issuer that complies with the bill's provisions immunity from liability for damages arising out of or in connection with the payment by the issuer of an applicant podiatrist or of an applicant therapeutic optometrist as if the podiatrist or therapeutic optometrist were a participating provider in the health benefit plan network.