Virginia Law

As used in this chapter:

"Accident and sickness insurance company" means a person subject to licensing in accordance with provisions in Chapter 10 (§ 38.2-1000 et seq.) or Chapter 41 (§ 38.2-4100 et seq.) seeking or having authorization (i) to issue accident and sickness insurance as defined in § 38.2-109, (ii) to issue the benefit certificates or policies of accident and sickness insurance described in § 38.2-3801, or (iii) to provide hospital, medical and nursing benefits pursuant to §§ 38.2-4116 and 38.2-4123.

"Affiliated provider" means any provider that is employed by or has entered into a contractual agreement either directly or indirectly with a health carrier to provide health care services to members of a managed care health insurance plan for which the health carrier is responsible under this chapter.

"Basic health care services" means emergency services, inpatient hospital and physician care, outpatient medical services, laboratory and radiological services, mental health and substance use disorder benefits, and preventive health services.

"Copayment" means a payment required of covered persons as a condition of the receipt of specific health services.

"Covered person" means an individual, whether a policyholder, subscriber, enrollee, or member of a managed care health insurance plan (MCHIP) who is entitled to health care services or benefits provided, arranged for, paid for or reimbursed pursuant to an MCHIP.

"Evidence of coverage" includes any certificate, individual or group agreement or contract or related documents issued in conjunction with the certificate, agreement or contract, issued to a subscriber setting out the coverage and other rights to which a covered person is entitled.

"Health care services" means the furnishing of services to any individual for the purpose of preventing, alleviating, curing, or healing human illness, injury or physical disability.

"Health carrier" means an entity subject to Title 38.2 that contracts or offers to contract to provide, deliver, arrange for, pay for or reimburse any of the costs of health care services, including an entity providing a plan of health insurance, health benefits or health services, an accident and sickness insurance company, a health maintenance organization, or a nonstock corporation offering or administering a health services plan, a hospital services plan, or a medical or surgical services plan, or operating a plan subject to regulation under Chapter 45 (§ 38.2-4500 et seq.).

"Health maintenance organization" means a person licensed pursuant to Chapter 43 (§ 38.2-4300 et seq.).

"Limited health care services" means dental care services, vision care services, and such other services as may be determined by the Commission to be limited health care services. Limited health care services shall not include hospital, medical, surgical or emergency services except as such services are provided incident to the limited health care services set forth in the preceding sentence.

"Managed care health insurance plan" or "MCHIP" means an arrangement for the delivery of health care in which a health carrier undertakes to provide, arrange for, pay for, or reimburse any of the costs of health care services for a covered person on a prepaid or insured basis which (i) contains one or more incentive arrangements, including any credentialing requirements intended to influence the cost or level of health care services between the health carrier and one or more providers with respect to the delivery of health care services and (ii) requires or creates benefit payment differential incentives for covered persons to use providers that are directly or indirectly managed, owned, under contract with or employed by the health carrier. Any health maintenance organization as defined in § 38.2-4300 or health carrier that offers preferred provider contracts or policies as defined in § 38.2-3407 or preferred provider subscription contracts as defined in § 38.2-4209 shall be deemed to be offering one or more MCHIPs. For the purposes of this definition, the prohibition of balance billing by a provider shall not be deemed a benefit payment differential incentive for covered persons to use providers who are directly or indirectly managed, owned, under contract with or employed by the health carrier. A single managed care health insurance plan may encompass multiple products and multiple types of benefit payment differentials; however, a single managed care health insurance plan shall encompass only one provider network or set of provider networks.

"Medical necessity" or "medically necessary" means appropriate and necessary health care services which are rendered for any condition which, according to generally accepted principles of good medical practice, requires the diagnosis or direct care and treatment of an illness, injury, or pregnancy-related condition, and are not provided only as a convenience.

"Network" means the set of providers directly or indirectly managed, owned, under contract with or employed directly or indirectly by a health carrier for the purpose of delivering health care services to the covered persons of an MCHIP.

"Provider" or "health care provider" means any hospital, physician, or other person authorized by statute, licensed or certified to furnish health care services.

"Service area" means a clearly defined geographic area in which a health carrier has directly or indirectly arranged for the provision of health care services to be generally available and readily accessible to covered persons of an MCHIP.

1998, c. 891; 2006, c. 448; 2015, c. 649.

A. No person shall operate an MCHIP in this Commonwealth unless the health carrier who directly or indirectly manages, owns, contracts with, or employs the providers for the plan is licensed in accordance with provisions in this title as an insurance company, a health maintenance organization, or a nonstock corporation organized in accordance with provisions in Chapter 42 (§ 38.2-4200 et seq.) or Chapter 45 (§ 38.2-4500 et seq.) of this title. Such health carrier shall be deemed responsible for the MCHIP and its compliance with this chapter and the provisions of Title 32.1 concerning quality assurance of MCHIPs. A health carrier may be responsible for more than one MCHIP; however, no MCHIP shall have more than one responsible health carrier.

B. Except as provided in subsection C, no person shall operate an MCHIP in this Commonwealth unless the health carrier responsible for the MCHIP holds an active or temporarily suspended certificate of quality assurance issued by the Department of Health.

C. 1. A health maintenance organization applying for licensure under this title on or after July 1, 1998, or whose application for such licensure is pending before the Commission on July 1, 1998, shall request its initial certificate of quality assurance prior to licensing and a copy of its request shall be included with and made a part of the licensing application and material filed with the Commission pursuant to § 38.2-4301 and subsection B of § 38.2-5802. Until July 1, 2000, (i) issuance of a license under § 38.2-4302 shall be contingent upon receipt of notice from the State Health Commissioner that the health maintenance organization's description of its complaint system has been reviewed and approved by the State Health Commissioner and (ii) upon issuance of the license such health maintenance organization shall be deemed in compliance with subsection B provided no certificate of quality assurance has been issued to the health maintenance organization which has been revoked or not renewed by the State Health Commissioner. Effective July 1, 2000, issuance of a license under § 38.2-4302 shall be contingent upon the Department of Health's issuance of a certificate of quality assurance.

2. Until July 1, 2000, a health maintenance organization licensed under this title on and before July 1, 1998, shall be deemed in compliance with the provisions of this section if (i) a request for initial certification has been filed with the Department of Health on or before December 1, 1998, and is pending before the State Health Commissioner and (ii) no certificate has been issued to the health maintenance organization which has been revoked or not renewed by the State Health Commissioner.

3. A health carrier, other than a health maintenance organization, responsible for an MCHIP pursuant to this chapter, shall request its initial certificate of quality assurance from the Department of Health on or before December 1, 1998, or becoming responsible for a MCHIP under this title. Until July 1, 2000, such health carrier shall be deemed in compliance with the provisions of this section if (i) a request for initial certification is pending before the Department of Health and (ii) no certificate has been issued to the health carrier which has been revoked or not renewed by the State Health Commissioner.

D. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all health carriers and all MCHIPs operating in this Commonwealth unless an exemption is recognized in accordance with § 38.2-3420; and, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the provisions of this chapter shall be supplemental and in addition to those otherwise applicable under this title or Title 32.1.

1998, c. 891.

A. A health carrier, when applying for initial licensing under this title and with each request for renewal that is to be effective on or after July 1, 1999, shall describe and categorize generally its transactions and operations in this Commonwealth that influence the cost or level of health care services between the health carrier and one or more providers with respect to the delivery of health care services through its MCHIPs. Descriptions and categorization shall identify generally the arrangements that the health carrier has with providers with respect to the delivery of health care services. Descriptions of incentive arrangements shall include compensation methodology and incentives. The descriptions of incentive arrangements shall not include amounts of compensation and values of incentives. Renewal filings shall clearly identify new matter and material changes of information disclosed in the preceding filing.

B. A health carrier applying to the Department of Health for initial certification of quality assurance shall simultaneously file a copy of its request for certification with the Commission and shall include the list of providers required by § 38.2-5805. Such filings shall be assessed by the Department of Health.

C. In addition to items specified in subsection B, the initial filing under this chapter by a health carrier subject to subsection B of § 38.2-5801 shall include any forms of contracts, including any amendments thereto, made with health care providers enabling the health carrier to provide health care services through its MCHIPs to covered persons. Individual provider contracts and contracts with persons outside this Commonwealth shall not be filed with the Commission unless requested by the Commission or necessary to explain or fully disclose pursuant to subsection D operational changes that are materially at variance with the information currently on file with the Commission. The health carrier shall maintain a complete file of all contracts made with health care providers which shall be subject to examination by the Commission. The contracts shall be retained in the file for a period of at least five years after their expiration. Notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter 37 (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.) of Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia, such contracts shall be confidential and shall not be subject to discovery upon subpoena.

D. No MCHIP shall be operated in a manner that is materially at variance with the information submitted pursuant to this section. Any change in such information which would result in operational changes that are materially at variance with the information currently on file with the Commission shall be subject to the Commission's prior approval. If the Commission fails to act on a notice of material change within thirty days of its filing, the proposed changes shall be deemed approved. A material change in the MCHIP's health care delivery system shall be deemed to result in operational changes that are materially at variance with the information on file with the Commission. The Commission may determine that other changes are material and may require disclosure to secure full and accurate knowledge of the affairs and condition of the health carrier.

E. A health carrier shall give notice to the State Health Commissioner of the filings it makes with the Commission pursuant to this section.

F. The provisions of this section are applicable generally for all health carriers subject to licensure under this title. The provisions of this section shall be applied specifically as follows: (i) the provisions of subsection A are applicable for each health carrier requesting renewal of a license on or after July 1, 1998, and also for each health carrier applying for initial licensing on or after July 1, 1998; (ii) the provisions of subsection B shall be applied to any health carrier that files an application with the Department of Health for initial certification of quality assurance; (iii) the provisions of subsection C become applicable as soon as a health carrier makes a filing pursuant to this section; (iv) the filing requirements described in subsection D are applicable for all material filed with the Commission pursuant to this section, and shall be applied also when a health carrier proposes material changes to information of the type described in this section which previously had been filed with the Commission pursuant to provisions of Chapter 43 (§ 38.2-4300 et seq.) of this title; and (v) the provisions of subsection E are applicable whenever a health carrier makes a filing pursuant to this section.

1998, c. 891; 1999, c. 20.

A. The following shall be provided to the MCHIP's covered persons at the time of enrollment or at the time the contract or evidence of coverage is issued and shall be made available upon request or at least annually:

1. A list of the names and locations of all affiliated providers. Such list may be made available in a form other than a printed document, provided the purchaser or existing enrollee is given the means to request and receive a printed copy of such list.

2. A description of the service area or areas within which the MCHIP shall provide health care services.

3. A description of the method of resolving complaints of covered persons, including a description of any arbitration procedure if complaints may be resolved through a specified arbitration agreement.

4. Notice that the MCHIP is subject to regulation in the Commonwealth by both the State Corporation Commission Bureau of Insurance pursuant to Title 38.2 and the Virginia Department of Health pursuant to Title 32.1.

5. A prominent notice included within the evidence of coverage, providing substantially the following: "If you have any questions regarding an appeal or grievance concerning the health care services that you have been provided that have not been satisfactorily addressed by your plan, you may contact the Office of the Managed Care Ombudsman for assistance." Such notice shall also provide the toll-free telephone number, mailing address, and electronic mail address of the Office of the Managed Care Ombudsman. This section shall not apply to evidences of coverage for enrollees in the plans administered by the Department of Medical Assistance Services that provide benefits pursuant to Title XIX or Title XXI of the Social Security Act, as amended.

B. The following shall apply to MCHIPs that require a covered person to select a primary care physician with respect to the offer of basic health care services by the MCHIP:

1. At the time of enrollment each covered person shall have the right to select a primary care physician from among the health carrier's affiliated primary care physicians for the MCHIP, subject to availability.

2. Any covered person who is dissatisfied with his primary care physician shall have the right to select another primary care physician from among the affiliated primary care physicians, subject to availability. The health carrier may impose a reasonable waiting period for this transfer.

1998, c. 891; 2000, c. 922; 2004, c. 715; 2006, c. 866.

A. A health carrier subject to subsection B of § 38.2-5801 shall establish and maintain for each of its MCHIPs a complaint system approved by the Commission and the State Health Commissioner to provide reasonable procedures for the resolution of written complaints in accordance with requirements in or established pursuant to provisions in this title and Title 32.1 and shall include the following:

1. A record of the complaints shall be maintained for no less than five years.

2. Such health carrier shall provide complaint forms and/or written procedures to be given to covered persons who wish to register written complaints. Such forms or procedures shall include the address and telephone number of the managed care licensee to which complaints shall be directed and the mailing address, telephone number, and electronic mail address of the Office of the Managed Care Ombudsman, and shall also specify any required limits imposed by or on behalf of the MCHIP. Such forms and written procedures shall include a clear and understandable description of the covered person's right to appeal adverse decisions pursuant to § 32.1-137.15.

B. The Commission, in cooperation with the State Health Commissioner, shall examine the complaint system. The effectiveness of the complaint system of the managed care health insurance plan licensee in allowing covered persons, or their duly authorized representatives, to have issues regarding quality of care appropriately resolved under this chapter shall be assessed by the State Health Commissioner pursuant to provisions in Title 32.1 and the regulations promulgated thereunder. Compliance by the health carrier and its managed care health insurance plans with the terms and procedures of the complaint system, as well as the provisions of this title, shall be assessed by the Commission.

C. The health carrier for each MCHIP shall submit to the Office of the Managed Care Ombudsman and the State Health Commissioner an annual complaint report in a form prescribed by the Commission and the Board of Health. The complaint report shall include (i) a description of the procedures of the complaint system, (ii) the total number of complaints handled through the grievance or complaint system, (iii) the disposition of the complaints, (iv) a compilation of the nature and causes underlying the complaints filed, (v) the time it took to process and resolve each complaint, and (vi) the number, amount, and disposition of malpractice claims adjudicated during the year with respect to any of the MCHIP's affiliated providers.

D. The provisions of this section shall not apply to plans administered by the Department of Medical Assistance Services that provide benefits pursuant to Title XIX or Title XXI of the Social Security Act, as amended.

E. The provisions of Chapter 5 (§ 38.2-500 et seq.) of this title shall apply to the health carrier, its MCHIPs, and evidence of coverage and representations thereto, except to the extent that the Commission determines that the nature of the health carrier, its MCHIP, and evidences of coverage and representations thereto render any of the provisions clearly inappropriate.

1998, c. 891; 1999, cc. 643, 649; 2000, c. 922; 2006, c. 866.

A. Each health carrier subject to subsection B of § 38.2-5801 shall file with the Commission a list of the current providers who have executed a contract directly with the health carrier or indirectly through an intermediary organization for the purpose of providing health care services pursuant to an MCHIP or for the benefit of a covered person of an MCHIP. The list shall include the names and localities of the providers. The list shall be updated by the health carrier at least annually and more frequently as required by the Commission in accordance with provisions in this title or by the State Health Commissioner in accordance with provisions in Title 32.1.

B. Every contract with a provider of health care services enabling an MCHIP to provide health care services shall be in writing.

C. When the health carrier is a health maintenance organization, the contracts with providers enabling the MCHIP to provide health care services to the covered persons shall contain a "hold harmless" clause setting forth that, in the event such health carrier fails to pay for health care services as set forth in the contract, the covered persons shall not be liable to the provider for any sums owed by the health carrier. The following requirements shall apply to such contracts:

1. Such contracts shall require that if the provider terminates the agreement, the provider shall give the health carrier at least sixty days' advance notice of termination.

2. No provider party to such a contract, or agent, trustee or assignee thereof, may maintain any action at law against a covered person to collect sums owed by the health carrier.

3. If there is an intermediary organization enabling a health carrier subject to subsection B of § 38.2-5801 to provide health care services by means of the intermediary organization's own contracts with health care providers, the contracts between the intermediary organization and its providers shall be in writing.

4. The contracts shall set forth that, in the event either the health carrier or the intermediary organization fails to pay for health care services as set forth in the contracts between the intermediary organization and its providers, or in the contract between the intermediary organization and the health carrier, the covered person shall not be liable to the provider for any sums owed by either the intermediary organization or the health carrier.

5. No provider party to such a contract, or agent, trustee or assignee thereof, may maintain any action at law against a covered person to collect sums owed by the health carrier or the intermediary organization.

6. An agreement to provide health care services between an intermediary organization and a health carrier subject to subsection B of § 38.2-5801 shall require that if the intermediary organization terminates the agreement, the intermediary organization shall give the health carrier at least sixty days' advance notice of termination.

7. An agreement to provide health care services between an intermediary organization and a provider shall require that if the provider terminates the agreement, the provider shall give the intermediary organization at least sixty days' advance notice of termination.

8. Each such health carrier and intermediary organization shall be responsible for maintaining its executed contracts enabling it to provide health care services. These contracts shall be available for the Commission's review and examination for a period of five years after the expiration of any such contract.

9. The "hold harmless" clause required by this section shall read essentially as set forth in this subdivision. The health carrier may use a corresponding provision of different wording approved by the Commission that is not less favorable in any respect to the covered persons.

Hold Harmless Clause

[Provider] hereby agrees that in no event, including, but not limited to nonpayment by the MCHIP or its health carrier, the insolvency of the [health carrier], or breach of this agreement, shall [Provider] bill, charge, collect a deposit from; seek compensation, remuneration or reimbursement from; or have any recourse against subscribers or persons other than the health carrier for services provided pursuant to this Agreement. This provision shall not prohibit collection of any applicable copayments or deductibles billed in accordance with the terms of the subscriber agreement for the MCHIP.

[Provider] further agrees that (i) this provision shall survive the termination of this Agreement regardless of the cause giving rise to such termination and shall be construed to be for the benefit of the plan's subscribers and (ii) this provision supersedes any oral or written agreement to the contrary now existing or hereafter entered into between [Provider] and the subscriber or persons acting on the subscriber's behalf.

10. If there is an intermediary organization between the health carrier and the health care providers, the hold harmless clause set forth in subdivision 5 shall be amended to include nonpayment by the plan, the health carrier, and the intermediary organization and shall be included in any contract between the intermediary organization and health care providers and in any contract between the health carrier on behalf of the MCHIP and the intermediary organization.

D. The Commission may specify for each type of health carrier other than a health maintenance organization the circumstances, if any, under which a health carrier for an MCHIP shall contract with a provider with the "hold harmless" clause described in subsection C. The Commission may specify also the extent to which certain accounting treatment, reserves, net worth or surplus shall be required for liabilities arising from provider contracts without the "hold harmless" clause.

1998, c. 891.

A. No MCHIP licensee may cancel or refuse to renew the coverage of a covered person for basic health care services on the basis of the status of the covered person's health.

B. The following provisions shall apply whenever an MCHIP provides a covered person who is also a resident of a continuing care facility with coverage for Medicare benefits and the covered person's primary care physician determines that it is medically necessary for the covered person to be referred to a skilled nursing unit:

1. The health carrier shall not require that the covered person relocate to a skilled nursing unit outside the continuing care facility if (i) the continuing care facility's skilled nursing unit is certified as a Medicare skilled nursing facility and (ii) the continuing care facility agrees, as to such skilled nursing unit, to become a contracting provider in accordance with the health carrier's standard terms and conditions for its participating providers.

2. A continuing care facility that satisfies clauses (i) and (ii) of subdivision 1 shall not be obligated to accept as a skilled nursing unit patient any one other than a resident of the continuing care facility; and neither the health carrier nor the continuing care facility shall be allowed to include the skilled nursing unit or facilities on the list required by § 38.2-5802 or to advertise in any other way that the facility's skilled nursing unit is a participating provider with respect to coverage offered by the MCHIP for Medicare benefits or skilled nursing unit facilities for other than the continuing care facility's residents.

As used in this subsection, "Medicare benefits" means medical and health products, benefits and services offered in accordance with Title XVIII of the United States Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 1395 et seq.) and "continuing care facility" means a continuing care retirement community regulated pursuant to Chapter 49 (§ 38.2-4900 et seq.) of this title.

C. The following shall apply in accordance with provisions in Title 32.1 or regulations promulgated thereunder:

1. Where complaints of a covered person may be resolved through a specified arbitration agreement, the covered person shall be advised in writing of his rights and duties under the agreement at the time the complaint is registered.

2. No contract or evidence of coverage that entitles covered persons to resolve complaints through an arbitration agreement shall limit or prohibit such arbitration for any claims asserted having a monetary value of $250 or more.

3. If the covered person agrees to binding arbitration, his written acceptance of the arbitration agreement shall not be executed prior to the time the complaint is registered nor subsequent to the time an initial resolution is made, and the agreement shall be accompanied by a statement setting forth in writing the terms and conditions of binding arbitration.

1998, c. 891.

Access to care shall be assessed by the Department of Health in accordance with provisions in Article 1.1 (§ 32.1-137.1 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 32.1 concerning quality assurance.

1998, c. 891.

A. In lieu of or in addition to making its own examination of an MCHIP and its health carrier, the Commission may accept the report of an examination of the health carrier or other person responsible for the MCHIP under the laws of another state certified by the insurance supervisory official, similar regulatory agency, or the state health commissioner of another state.

B. The Commission shall coordinate examinations of an MCHIP and its health carrier with the State Health Commissioner's examination or review of the health carrier to ensure an appropriate level of regulatory oversight and to avoid any undue duplication of effort or regulation.

C. The Commission shall accept a current certificate of quality assurance issued by the Department of Health as evidence of compliance by the certificate holder with any provision in this chapter authorizing or requiring assessment by the Department of Health, by the State Health Commissioner, or pursuant to regulations promulgated by the State Health Commissioner.

1998, c. 891.

The Commission may suspend or revoke any license issued to a health carrier if it finds that any of the following conditions exist:

1. The State Health Commissioner certifies to the Commission pursuant to § 32.1-137.5 that the health carrier or its MCHIP is unable to fulfill its obligations to furnish quality health care services as set forth in Article 1.1 (§ 32.1-137.1 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 32.1. The suspension of a certificate of quality assurance shall not be deemed such a certification by the State Health Commissioner.

2. The State Health Commissioner notifies the Commission that the health carrier has failed to implement the complaint system required by Title 32.1 and § 38.2-5804 to resolve valid complaints reasonably.

3. The Commission determines that a certificate of quality assurance issued to the health carrier has been revoked by the State Health Commissioner, or a request for renewal of such certificate has been denied or disapproved by the State Health Commissioner.

1998, c. 891.

A. Neither the health carrier nor the MCHIP shall be deemed to be engaged in the practice of medicine solely by virtue of its compliance with this chapter. All health care providers associated with an MCHIP shall be subject to all provisions of law.

B. Notwithstanding the definition of an eligible employee as set forth in § 38.2-3431, a health carrier providing an MCHIP subject to § 38.2-3431 shall not be required to offer coverage to or accept applications from an employee who does not reside within the MCHIP's service area.

1998, c. 891.

The Commission shall have no jurisdiction to adjudicate controversies between an MCHIP and its covered persons, and a breach of contract shall not be deemed a violation of this chapter.

1998, c. 891.