1. (1) As used in this section, “continuity of care” means the feature of a health benefit plan under which an enrollee who is receiving care from an individual provider is entitled to continue with care with the individual provider for a limited period of time after the medical services contract terminates.

2. (2) An insurer offering managed health insurance or preferred provider organization insurance in this state shall provide continuity of care to an enrollee under a health benefit plan if:

   1. (a) A medical services contract or other contract for an individual provider’s services is terminated;
   2. (b) The provider no longer participates in the provider network; and
   3. (c) The insurer does not cover services when services are provided to enrollees by the individual provider or covers services at a benefit level below the benefit level specified in the plan for out-of-network providers.
3. (3) In order to obtain continuity of care, an enrollee must request continuity of care from the insurer.

4. (4) An enrollee of a health benefit plan is entitled to continuity of care when the following conditions are met:

   1. (a) The enrollee is undergoing an active course of treatment that is medically necessary and, by agreement of the individual provider and the enrollee, it is desirable to maintain continuity of care; and
   2. (b) The contractual relationship between the individual provider and the insurer described in subsection (2) of this section with respect to the plan covering the enrollee has ended, except as provided in subsection (5) of this section.

5. (5) A health benefit plan is not required to provide continuity of care when the contractual relationship between the individual provider and the insurer described in subsection (2) of this section ends under one of the following circumstances:

   1. (a) The contractual relationship between the individual provider and the insurer has ended because the individual provider:

      1. (A) Has retired;
      2. (B) Has died;
      3. (C) No longer holds an active license;
      4. (D) Has relocated out of the service area;
      5. (E) Has gone on sabbatical; or
      6. (F) Is prevented from continuing to care for patients because of other circumstances; or
   2. (b) The contractual relationship has terminated in accordance with provisions of the medical services contract relating to quality of care and all contractual appeal rights of the individual provider have been exhausted.
6. (6) A health benefit plan is not required to provide continuity of care if the enrollee leaves a health benefit plan or if the policyholder discontinues the plan in which the enrollee is enrolled.

7. (7) Except as provided for pregnancy in subsection (8) of this section, an enrollee who is entitled to continuity of care shall receive the care until the earlier of the following dates:

   1. (a) The day following the date on which the active course of treatment entitling the enrollee to continuity of care is completed; or
   2. (b) The 120th day after the date of notification by the insurer to the enrollee of the termination of the contractual relationship with the individual provider, as required by subsection (9) of this section.

8. (8) An enrollee who is undergoing care for a pregnancy and who becomes entitled to continuity of care after commencement of the second trimester of the pregnancy shall receive the care until the later of the following dates:

   1. (a) The 45th day after the birth; or
   2. (b) As long as the enrollee continues under an active course of treatment, but not later than the 120th day after the date of notification by the insurer to the enrollee of the termination of the contractual relationship with the individual provider as required by subsection (9) of this section.
9. (9) An insurer shall give written notice of the termination of the contractual relationship between the insurer and the individual provider and of the right to obtain continuity of care to those enrollees that the insurer knows or reasonably should know are under the care of the individual provider. The notice may be given prior to the date on which the termination of the contractual relationship with the individual provider takes effect only if the insurer gives notice in a good faith belief that the termination will take effect as stated in the notice. In any event, the notice shall be given to those enrollees not later than the 10th day after the date on which the termination of the contractual relationship with the individual provider takes effect. If the insurer first learns the identity of an affected enrollee after the date of termination of the contractual relationship with the individual provider or after the date on which the insurer gave notice to the other affected enrollees, then the insurer shall give a notice of termination to the affected enrollee not later than the 10th day after learning that enrollee’s identity.

10. (10) For the purpose of notifying an enrollee under subsection (7)(b) or (8)(b) of this section:

    1. (a) The date of notification by the insurer is the earlier of the date on which the enrollee receives the notice or the date on which the insurer receives or approves the request for continuity of care.
    2. (b) If an individual provider belongs to a provider group, the provider group may deliver the notice if the insurer agrees that the provider group may do so and if the notice clearly provides the information that the plan is required to provide to the enrollee under subsection (9) of this section.
11. (11) A health benefit plan may condition continuity of care upon the requirement that the individual provider adhere to the medical services contract between the provider and the insurer and accept the contractual reimbursement rate applicable at the time of contract termination or, if the contractual reimbursement rate was not based on a fee for service, a rate equivalent to the contractual rate.

[Formerly 743.854]