LCO 4349 \\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06782-R01- HB.docx 1 of 5 General Assembly Raised Bill No. 6782 January Session, 2023 LCO No. 4349 Referred to Committee on INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE Introduced by: (INS) AN ACT CONCERNING NOTICES OF TERMINATION OF HEALTH CARE CONTRACTS. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Section 1. Subsection (g) of section 38a-472f of the general statutes is 1 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 2 October 1, 2023): 3 (g) (1) (A) A health carrier and participating provider shall provide 4 [at least] not less than ninety days' written notice [to each other before 5 the health carrier removes a participating provider from the network 6 or the participating provider leaves the network. Each participating 7 provider that receives a notice of removal or issues a departure notice 8 shall provide to the health carrier a list of such participating provider's 9 patients who are covered persons under a network plan of such health 10 carrier] of any intent to terminate a contract between such health 11 carrier and such participating provider on the end date of such 12 contract period. Upon receipt of any notice of intent to terminate such 13 contract by any health carrier or participating provider, such 14 participating provider shall provide to such health carrier a list of such 15 Bill No. 6782 LCO 4349 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06782- R01-HB.docx } 2 of 5 participating provider's patients who are covered persons under such 16 health carrier's network plan. In the event that any such notice is not 17 provided by either a participating provider or health carrier, such 18 contract shall either automatically renew or be extended. 19 (B) A health carrier shall make a good faith effort to provide written 20 notice, not later than thirty days [after the health carrier receives or 21 issues a written notice under subparagraph (A) of this subdivision] 22 before the date that such participating provider leaves or is removed 23 from such health carrier's network, to all covered persons who are 24 patients being treated on a regular basis by or at the participating 25 provider [being removed from or leaving the network,] irrespective of 26 whether such removal or departure is for cause. 27 (C) For each contract entered into, renewed, amended or continued 28 on or after July 1, [2018] 2024, between a health carrier and a 29 participating provider that is a hospital, as defined in section 38a-493, 30 or a parent corporation of a hospital or an intermediary, if the contract 31 is not renewed or is terminated by either the health carrier or the 32 participating provider, the health carrier and the participating 33 provider shall continue to abide by the terms of such contract, 34 including reimbursement terms for all health care services and 35 provisions provided under such contract, for a period of sixty days 36 from the date of termination or, in the case of a nonrenewal, from the 37 end of the contract period. Except as otherwise agreed between such 38 health carrier and such participating provider, the reimbursement 39 terms of any contract entered into by such health carrier and such 40 participating provider during said sixty-day period shall be retroactive 41 to the date of termination or, in the case of a nonrenewal, the end date 42 of the contract period. Such provider shall be deemed out-of-network 43 as of the date of contract termination. This subparagraph shall not 44 apply if the health carrier and participating provider agree, in writing, 45 to the termination or nonrenewal of the contract and the health carrier 46 and participating provider provide the notices required under 47 subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this subdivision. 48 Bill No. 6782 LCO 4349 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06782- R01-HB.docx } 3 of 5 (2) (A) For the purposes of this subdivision: 49 (i) "Active course of treatment" means (I) a medically necessary, 50 ongoing course of treatment for a life-threatening condition, (II) a 51 medically necessary, ongoing course of treatment for a serious 52 condition, (III) medically necessary care provided during the second or 53 third trimester of pregnancy, or (IV) a medically necessary, ongoing 54 course of treatment for a condition for which a treating health care 55 provider attests that discontinuing care by such health care provider 56 would worsen the covered person's condition or interfere with 57 anticipated outcomes; 58 (ii) "Life-threatening condition" means a disease or condition for 59 which the likelihood of death is probable unless the course of such 60 disease or condition is interrupted; 61 (iii) "Serious condition" means a disease or condition that requires 62 complex ongoing care such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy or 63 postoperative visits, which the covered person is currently receiving; 64 and 65 (iv) "Treating provider" means a covered person's treating health 66 care provider or a facility at which a covered person is receiving 67 treatment, that is removed from or leaves a health carrier's network 68 pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection. 69 (B) (i) Each health carrier shall establish and maintain reasonable 70 procedures to transition a covered person, who is in an active course of 71 treatment with a participating health care provider or at a participating 72 facility that becomes a treating provider, to another participating 73 provider in a manner that provides for continuity of care. 74 (ii) In addition to the notice required under subparagraph (B) of 75 subdivision (1) of this subsection, the health carrier shall provide to 76 such covered person (I) a list of available participating providers in the 77 same geographic area as such covered person who are of the same 78 health care provider or facility type, and (II) the procedures for how 79 Bill No. 6782 LCO 4349 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06782- R01-HB.docx } 4 of 5 such covered person may request continuity of care as set forth in this 80 subparagraph. 81 (iii) Such procedures shall provide that: 82 (I) Any request for a continuity of care period shall be made by the 83 covered person or the covered person's authorized representative; 84 (II) A request for a continuity of care period, made by a covered 85 person who meets the requirements under subparagraph (B)(i) of this 86 subdivision or such covered person's authorized representative and 87 whose treating provider was not removed from or did not leave the 88 network for cause, shall be reviewed by the health carrier's medical 89 director after consultation with such treating provider; and 90 (III) For a covered person who is in the second or third trimester of 91 pregnancy, the continuity of care period shall extend through the 92 postpartum period. 93 (iv) The continuity of care period for a covered person who is 94 undergoing an active course of treatment shall extend to the earliest of 95 the following: (I) Termination of the course of treatment by the covered 96 person or the treating provider; (II) ninety days after the date the 97 participating provider is removed from or leaves the network, unless 98 the health carrier's medical director determines that a longer period is 99 necessary; (III) the date that care is successfully transitioned to another 100 participating provider; (IV) the date benefit limitations under the 101 health benefit plan are met or exceeded; or (V) the date the health 102 carrier determines care is no longer medically necessary. 103 (v) The health carrier shall only grant a continuity of care period as 104 provided under subparagraph (B)(iv) of this subdivision if the treating 105 provider agrees, in writing, (I) to accept the same payment from such 106 health carrier and abide by the same terms and conditions as provided 107 in the contract between such health carrier and treating provider when 108 such treating provider was a participating provider, and (II) not to 109 seek any payment from the covered person for any amount for which 110 Bill No. 6782 LCO 4349 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2023HB-06782- R01-HB.docx } 5 of 5 such covered person would not have been responsible if the treating 111 provider was still a participating provider. 112 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: Section 1 October 1, 2023 38a-472f(g) INS Joint Favorable