Requiring any health benefit plan offered by the Maryland Health Insurance Plan that includes specialty care services to allow a member to use an out-of-network specialist if there is no in-network specialist within 25 miles of the member's residence; prohibiting the health benefit plan from imposing on the member a higher copayment or coinsurance requirement than the copayment or coinsurance requirement imposed for the same service if provided by an in-network specialist; and applying the Act.

Bill indexed under the following Subjects:

CONSUMER PROTECTION -see also- UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES

HEALTH INSURANCE -see also- HMOS; MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATIONS

HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS -see also- MAN CARE ORGS

HEALTH OCCUPATIONS -see also- specific health occupations

PHYSICIANS -see also- DENTISTS; MED EXMNRS; PSYCH; etc

PRICES -see also- CONSUMER PRICE INDEX

Bill affects the following Statute:

Insurance

( 14-505 )

Documents:

Bill Text: First Reading (RTF / PDF), Third Reading, Enrolled

Fiscal Note: Available (WORD / PDF)

Amendments: None offered