62Q.55 EMERGENCY SERVICES.
(a) Enrollees have the right to available and accessible emergency services, 24 hours a
day and seven days a week. The health plan company shall inform its enrollees how to obtain
emergency care and, if prior authorization for emergency services is required, shall make available
a toll-free number, which is answered 24 hours a day, to answer questions about emergency
services and to receive reports and provide authorizations, where appropriate, for treatment
of emergency medical conditions. Emergency services shall be covered whether provided by
participating or nonparticipating providers and whether provided within or outside the health plan
company's service area. In reviewing a denial for coverage of emergency services, the health plan
company shall take the following factors into consideration:
(1) a reasonable layperson's belief that the circumstances required immediate medical care
that could not wait until the next working day or next available clinic appointment;
(2) the time of day and day of the week the care was provided;
(3) the presenting symptoms, including, but not limited to, severe pain, to ensure that the
decision to reimburse the emergency care is not made solely on the basis of the actual diagnosis;
(4) the enrollee's efforts to follow the health plan company's established procedures for
obtaining emergency care; and
(5) any circumstances that precluded use of the health plan company's established procedures
for obtaining emergency care.
(b) The health plan company may require enrollees to notify the health plan company of
nonreferred emergency care as soon as possible, but not later than 48 hours, after the emergency
care is initially provided. However, emergency care which would have been covered under the
contract had notice been provided within the set time frame must be covered.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b), a health plan company, health insurer, or health
coverage plan that is in compliance with the rules regarding accessibility of services adopted
under section 62D.20 is in compliance with this section.
History: 1997 c 237 s 11