Consistent with its duties to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public, the Board shall promulgate regulations, consistent with this article, governing the quality of care provided to covered persons by a managed care health insurance plan licensee through its managed care health insurance plans on or before December 1, 1999. The regulations may incorporate or apply nationally recognized, generally accepted, quality standards developed by private accreditation entities, if such standards exist and as appropriate for the type of managed care health insurance plan. The regulations shall also include:

1. 1. Guidelines for the Commissioner to determine, in consultation with the Bureau of Insurance, when the imposition of administrative sanctions as set forth in § 32.1-137.5 or initiation of court proceedings or both are appropriate in order to ensure prompt correction of violations discovered on any examination, review, or investigation conducted by the Department pursuant to provisions of this article; and
2. 2. Quantitative network adequacy standards for timely access to care, travel time, and geographical distance that are at least as stringent as those required for qualified health plans and qualified dental plans, as such terms are defined in § 38.2-6500, provided in the Commonwealth.

1998, c. 891; 2026, cc. 652, 653.