House File 202 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  T. OLSON


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to the assignment of health care coverage and
  2    dental care coverage benefits.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 1495HH 83
  5 av/nh/5

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  514C.24  ASSIGNMENT OF HEALTH
  1  2 CARE AND DENTAL CARE COVERAGE BENEFITS.
  1  3    1.  A carrier as defined in section 513B.2; an organized
  1  4 delivery system authorized under 1993 Iowa Acts, ch. 158, and
  1  5 licensed by the director of public health; or a plan
  1  6 established pursuant to chapter 509A for public employees,
  1  7 shall not do either of the following:
  1  8    a.  Prohibit the assignment of health care coverage or
  1  9 dental care coverage benefits to a health care provider or
  1 10 dental care provider by a covered individual.
  1 11    b.  Refuse to directly reimburse a health care provider or
  1 12 dental care provider pursuant to a valid assignment of health
  1 13 care coverage or dental care coverage benefits after receipt
  1 14 of written notice of the assignment.
  1 15    2.  An assignment of benefits as described in this section
  1 16 shall not affect or limit the payment of benefits otherwise
  1 17 payable under a health care benefit or dental care benefit
  1 18 contract, policy, or plan and a covered individual shall not
  1 19 be otherwise penalized for making such an assignment of
  1 20 benefits.
  1 21    3.  A payment of benefits made under a health care benefit
  1 22 or dental care benefit contract, policy, or plan prior to
  1 23 receipt of written notice of assignment of the benefits shall
  1 24 be without prejudice to the payor.  This section shall not be
  1 25 construed to prevent the reconciliation of erroneous or
  1 26 duplicate payments made.
  1 27    4.  For the purposes of this section, unless the context
  1 28 otherwise requires:
  1 29    a.  "Assignment of benefits" means the transfer of health
  1 30 care coverage or dental care coverage reimbursement benefits
  1 31 or other rights under an insurance contract, policy, or plan
  1 32 by a covered individual to a health care provider or dental
  1 33 care provider.
  1 34    b.  "Dental care provider" means a dentist, dental
  1 35 hygienist, or dental assistant registered or licensed to
  2  1 practice under chapter 153.
  2  2    c.  "Health care provider" means a hospital licensed
  2  3 pursuant to chapter 135B, a person licensed under chapter 148,
  2  4 148A, 148C, 149, 151, or 154, or a person licensed as an
  2  5 advanced registered nurse practitioner under chapter 152.
  2  6                           EXPLANATION
  2  7    This bill prohibits a carrier, organized delivery system,
  2  8 or plan for public employees from refusing to allow a covered
  2  9 individual to assign payment of health care coverage or dental
  2 10 care coverage benefits to a health care provider or dental
  2 11 care provider, or from refusing to directly reimburse a health
  2 12 care provider or dental care provider, pursuant to a valid
  2 13 assignment of such benefits upon receipt of written notice of
  2 14 the assignment.
  2 15 LSB 1495HH 83
  2 16 av/nh/5