Oklahoma 2024 2024 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB1675 Introduced / Bill

Filed 01/16/2024

                     
 
 
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STATE OF OKLAHOMA 
 
2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024) 
 
SENATE BILL 1675 	By: McCortney 
 
 
 
AS INTRODUCED 
 
An Act relating to the state Medicaid program; 
amending Section 3, Chapter 395, O.S.L. 2022 (56 O.S. 
Supp. 2023, Section 4002.3a) , which relates to 
capitated contracts for delivery of Medicaid 
services; extending certain deadlines; amending 56 
O.S. 2021, Section 4002.4, as amended by Section 7, 
Chapter 395, O.S.L. 2022 (56 O.S. Supp. 2023, Section 
4002.4), which relates to n etwork adequacy standards 
for contracted entities; imposing certain deadline on 
credentialing or recredentialing by contracted 
entities; amending 56 O.S. 2021, Section 4002.6, as 
last amended by Section 2, Chapter 331, O.S.L. 2023 
(56 O.S. Supp. 2023, Section 4002.6) , which relates 
to requirements for prior authorizations ; modifying 
and adding deadlines for certain determinations and 
reviews; requiring certain reviews to be conducted by 
Oklahoma-licensed clinical staff; amending 56 O.S. 
2021, Section 4002.7, as amended b y Section 11, 
Chapter 395, O.S.L. 2022 (56 O.S. Supp. 2023, Section 
4002.7), which relates to requirements for processing 
and adjudicating claims ; expanding certain provisions 
to include downgraded claims; specifying certain 
limit on claims subject to post payment audits; 
updating statutory references; and de claring an 
emergency. 
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: 
SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY    Section 3, Chapter 395, O.S.L. 
2022 (56 O.S. Supp. 2023, Section 400 2.3a), is amended to read as 
follows:   
 
 
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Section 4002.3a. A.  1.  The Oklahoma Health Care Authority 
(OHCA) shall enter into capitated contracts with contracted entities 
for the delivery of Medicaid services as specified in this act the 
Ensuring Access to Medicaid Act to transform the deli very system of 
the state Medicaid program for the Medicaid populations listed i n 
this section. 
2.  Unless expressly authorized b y the Legislature, the 
Authority shall not issue any request for proposals or enter into 
any contract to transform the delivery system for the aged, blind, 
and disabled populations eligible for SoonerCare. 
B.  1.  The Oklahoma Health Care Authority shall issue a request 
for proposals to enter into public-private partnerships with 
contracted entities other than dental benefit manage rs to cover all 
Medicaid services other than dental services for the followi ng 
Medicaid populations: 
a. pregnant women, 
b. children, 
c. deemed newborns under 42 C.F.R., Section 435.117 , 
d. parents and caretaker relatives, an d 
e. the expansion population. 
2.  The Authority shall specify th e services to be covered in 
the request for proposals referenced in paragraph 1 of this 
subsection.  Capitated contracts referenced in this subsection sh all 
cover all Medicaid services other than dental services including:   
 
 
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a. physical health services inclu ding, but not limited 
to: 
(1) primary care, 
(2) inpatient and outpatient services, and 
(3) emergency room services, 
b. behavioral health services, and 
c. prescription drug services. 
3.  The Authority shall specif y the services not covered in the 
request for proposals referenced in paragraph 1 of this subsection. 
4.  Subject to the requirements and approval of the Centers for 
Medicare and Medicaid S ervices, the implementation of the program 
shall be no later than October 1, 2023 April 1, 2024. 
C.  1.  The Authority shall issue a request for proposals to 
enter into public-private partnerships with dental benefit managers 
to cover dental services for the foll owing Medicaid populations: 
a. pregnant women, 
b. children, 
c. parents and caretaker relatives, 
d. the expansion population, and 
e. members of the Children’s Specialty Plan as provided 
by subsection D of this section. 
2.  The Authority shall specify the se rvices to be covered in 
the request for proposals referenced in paragraph 1 of t his 
subsection.   
 
 
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3.  Subject to the requirements and approval of the Centers for 
Medicare and Medicaid Services, the implementation of the program 
shall be no later than October 1, 2023 April 1, 2024. 
D.  1.  Either as part of the request for proposals referenced 
in subsection B of this section or as a separate request for 
proposals, the Authority shall issue a request for proposals to 
enter into public-private partnerships with one contracted entity to 
administer a Children’s Specialty Plan. 
2.  The Authority shall specify the ser vices to be covered in 
the request for proposals referenced in paragraph 1 of this 
subsection. 
3.  The contracted entity for the Childr en’s Specialty Plan 
shall coordinate with the dental benefit managers who cover dental 
services for its members as provid ed by subsection C of this 
section. 
4.  Subject to the requirements and approval of the Centers for 
Medicare and Medicaid Services, the implementation of the program 
shall be no later than October 1, 2023 April 1, 2024. 
E.  The Authority shall not implement the transfo rmation of the 
Medicaid delivery system until it receives written confirmation from 
the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that a managed care 
directed payment prog ram utilizing average commercial rate 
methodology for hospita l services under the Supplemental Hospital 
Offset Payment Program has been approved for Year 1 of the   
 
 
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transformation and will be included in the budget neutrality cap 
baseline spending level for purposes of Oklahoma’s 1115 waiver 
renewal; provided, however, nothing in this section sha ll prohibit 
the Authority from exploring alternative opportunities with the 
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to maximize the average 
commercial rate benefit. 
SECTION 2.     AMENDATORY     56 O.S. 2021, Section 4002.4, as 
amended by Section 7, Chapter 395, O.S.L. 2022 (56 O.S. Sup p. 2023, 
Section 4002.4), is amended to read as follows: 
Section 4002.4. A. The Oklahoma Health Ca re Authority shall 
develop network adequacy standards for all contracted entities that, 
at a minimum, meet the requirements of 42 C.F.R., Sections 438.3 and 
438.68.  Network adequacy standards established under this 
subsection shall include distance and time standards and shall be 
designed to ensure members covered by the contracted entities who 
reside in health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) designated 
under Section 332(a)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C., 
Section 254e(a)(1)) have access to in-person health care and 
telehealth services wi th providers, especially adult and pediatric 
primary care practitioners. 
B.  The Authority shall require all contracted entities to offer 
or extend contracts with all essential community providers, all 
providers who receive directed payments in accord ance with 42 
C.F.R., Part 438 and such other providers as the Authority may   
 
 
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specify.  The Authority shall establish such requirements as may be 
necessary to prohibit contracted entities from excluding essential 
community providers, providers who receive directed payments in 
accordance with 42 C.F.R., Part 438 and such other providers as the 
Authority may specify from contracts with contracted entities. 
C.  To ensure models of care are devel oped to meet the needs of 
Medicaid members, each contracted entit y must contract with at least 
one local Oklahoma provider organization for a model of care 
containing care coordination, care management, utilization 
management, disease management, network management, or another model 
of care as approved by the Authority. Such contractual arrangements 
must be in place within twelve (12) months of the effective date of 
the contracts awarded pursuant to the requests for proposals 
authorized by Section 3 of this act Section 4002.3a of this title. 
D.  All contracted entities shall formally credential and 
recredential network providers at a frequency required by a single, 
consolidated provider enrollment and credentialing process 
established by the Authority in accordance with 42 C.F.R., Section 
438.214. A contracted entity shall complete credentialing or 
recredentialing of a provider within sixty (60) calendar days of 
receipt of a completed application . 
E.  All contracted entities shall be accredited in accordance 
with 45 C.F.R., Section 156.275 by an accrediting entity recognized 
by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.   
 
 
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F. 1.  If the Authority awards a capitated contract to a 
provider-led entity for the urban region under Section 4 of this act 
Section 4002.3b of this title, the provider-led entity shall expand 
its coverage area to every county of this state within the time 
frame set by the Authority under subsection E of Section 4 of this 
act Section 4002.3b of this title. 
2.  The expansion of the provider-led entity’s coverage area 
beyond the urban region shall be subject to the approval of the 
Authority.  The Authority shall approve expansion to counties for 
which the provider-led entity can demons trate evidence of network 
adequacy as required under 42 C.F.R., Sections 438.3 and 438.68.  
When approved, the additional county or counties shall be added to 
the provider-led entity’s region during the next open enrollment 
period. 
SECTION 3.     AMENDATORY     56 O.S. 2021, Section 4002.6, as 
last amended by Section 2, C hapter 331, O.S.L. 2023 (56 O.S. Supp. 
2023, Section 4002.6), is amended to rea d as follows: 
Section 4002.6. A.  A contracted entity shall meet all 
requirements established by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority 
pertaining to prior authorizations.  The Authority shall establish 
requirements that ensure timely determinations by contracted 
entities when prior authorizations are required including expedited 
review in urgent and emergent cases that at a minimum meet the 
criteria of this section.   
 
 
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B.  A contracted entity shall make a determination on a request 
for an authorization of the transfer of a hospital inpatient to a 
post-acute care or long-term acute care facility within twenty-four 
(24) hours of receipt of the request. 
C.  A contracted entity shall make a determination on a request 
for any member who is not hospitalized at the time of the request 
within seventy-two (72) hours of receipt of the request; provided, 
that if the request does not include sufficient or adequate 
documentation, the review and determination shall occur within a 
time frame and in accordance with a process established by the 
Authority.  The process established by the Authority pursuant to 
this subsection shall include a time frame of at least forty-eight 
(48) hours within which a provider may submit the necessary 
documentation. 
D.  A contracted entity shall make a determination on a request 
for services for a hospitalized member including, but not limited 
to, acute care inpatient services or equipment necessary to 
discharge the member from an inpatient facility within one (1) 
business day twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of the request. 
E. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection C of this 
section, a contracted entity shall make a determination on a request 
as expeditiously as necessary and, in any event, within twenty-four 
(24) hours of receipt of the request for service if adhering to the 
provisions of subsection C or D of this section could jeopardize the   
 
 
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member’s life, health or ability to attain, maintain or regain 
maximum function.  In the event of a medically emergent matter, the 
contracted entity shall not impose limitations on providers in 
coordination of post-emergent stabilization health care including 
pre-certification or prior authorization. 
F. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a 
contracted entity shall make a determination on a request for 
inpatient behavioral health services within twenty-four (24) hours 
of receipt of the request. 
G.  A contracted entity shall make a determination on a request 
for covered prescription drugs that are required to be prior 
authorized by the Authority within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt 
of the request.  The contracted entity shall not require prior 
authorization on any covered prescription drug for which the 
Authority does not require prior authorization. 
H.  A contracted entity shall make a determination on a request 
for coverage of biomarker testing in accordan ce with Section 3 of 
this act Section 4003 of this title. 
I. Upon issuance of an adverse determination on a prior 
authorization request under subsection B of this section, the 
contracted entity shall provide the requesting provider, within 
seventy-two (72) hours of receipt of such issuance, with reasonable 
opportunity to participate in a peer-to-peer review process with a 
provider who practices in the same specialty, but not necessarily   
 
 
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the same sub-specialty, and who has experience treating the same 
population as the patient on w hose behalf the request is submitted; 
provided, however, if the requesting provider determines the 
services to be clinically urgent, the contracted entity shall 
provide such opportunity within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of 
such issuance.  Services not covered under the state Medicaid 
program for the particular patient shall not be subject to peer-to-
peer review. 
J.  The Authority shall ensure that a provider offers to provide 
to a member in a timely manner services authorized by a contracted 
entity. 
K.  The Authority shall establish requirements for both internal 
and external reviews and appeals of adverse determinations on prior 
authorization requests or claims that, at a minimum: 
1.  Require contracted entities to provide a detailed 
explanation of denials to Medicaid providers and members; 
2. Require contracted entities to provide a prompt an 
opportunity for peer-to-peer conversations with licensed Oklahoma-
licensed clinical staff of the same or similar specialty which shall 
include, but not be limited to, Oklahoma-licensed clinical staff 
upon within twenty-four (24) hours of the adverse determination; and 
3.  Establish uniform rules for Medicaid provider or member 
appeals across all contracted entities.   
 
 
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SECTION 4.     AMENDATORY     56 O.S. 2021, Section 4002.7, as 
amended by Section 11, Chapter 395, O.S.L. 202 2 (56 O.S. Supp. 2023, 
Section 4002.7), is amended to read as follows: 
Section 4002.7. A.  The Oklahoma Health Care Authority shall 
establish requirements for fair processing and adjudication of 
claims that ensure prompt re imbursement of providers by contracted 
entities.  A contracted entity sh all comply with all such 
requirements. 
B. A contracted entity shall process a clean claim in the time 
frame provided by Section 1219 of Title 36 of the Oklahoma Statutes 
and no less than ninety percent (90%) of all clean claims shall be 
paid within fourteen (14) days of submiss ion to the contracted 
entity.  A clean claim that is not processed within the time frame 
provided by Section 1219 of Title 36 of the Oklahoma Sta tutes shall 
bear simple interest at the monthly rate of one and one-half percent 
(1.5%) payable to the provid er.  A claim filed by a provider within 
six (6) months of the date the item or service was furnished to a 
member shall be considered ti mely. If a claim meets the definition 
of a clean claim, th e contracted entity shall not request medical 
records of the member prior to paying the claim.  Once a claim has 
been paid, the contracted entity may request medical records if 
additional documentation is needed to review the claim for medical 
necessity.   
 
 
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C. In the case of a denial of a claim including, but not 
limited to, a denial o n the basis of the level of emergency care 
indicated on the claim, or in the case of a downgraded claim , the 
contracted entity shall establish a process by which the provi der 
may identify and provide such additional information as may be 
necessary to substantiate the claim.  Any such claim denial or 
downgrade shall include the following: 
1.  A detailed explanation of the basis for the denial; and 
2.  A detailed description of the additional information 
necessary to substantiate the claim . 
D.  Postpayment audits by a contracted entity shall be subject 
to the following requirements: 
1.  Subject to paragraph 2 of this subsection, insofar as a 
contracted entity conducts postpayment audits, the contracted entity 
shall employ the postpayment aud it process determined by the 
Authority; 
2.  The Authority shall establish a limit, not to exceed three 
percent (3%), on the percentage of claims with respect to which 
postpayment audits may be conducted by a contracted entity for 
health care items and services furnished by a provider in a plan 
year; and 
3.  The Authority shall provide for the imposition of financial 
penalties under such contract in the case of any contracted entity 
with respect to which the Authority determines has a claims denial   
 
 
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error rate of greater than five percent (5%).  The Authority shall 
establish the amount of financial penalties and the time frame under 
which such penalties shall be imposed on contracted entities under 
this paragraph, in no case less than annually. 
E.  A contracted entity may only apply readmission penalties 
pursuant to rules promulgate d by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority 
Board.  The Board shall promulgate rules establishing a program to 
reduce potentially preventable readmissions.  The program shall use 
a nationally recognized tool, establish a base measurement year and 
a performance year, and provide for risk-adjustment based on the 
population of the state Medicaid program covered by the contracted 
entities. 
SECTION 5.  It being immediately necessary for the preser vation 
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergenc y is hereby 
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and 
be in full force from and after its pass age and approval. 
 
59-2-3246 DC 1/16/2024 2:17:14 PM