§432E-11  Accreditation of managed care
plans.  (a)  Beginning January 1, 1999, the commissioner shall contract
with one or more certified vendors of the consumer assessment health plan
survey to conduct a survey of all managed care plans actively offering managed
care plans in this State to provide managed care plans an opportunity to learn
whether any deficiencies exist or any improvements are required; provided that
the information collected shall be kept confidential in the first year, and
thereafter shall be available to the public.



(b)  The commissioner shall conduct a program
that promotes public awareness and education about managed care plans so that
consumers may make better or more informed choices when selecting a managed
care plan.



(c)  Beginning January 1, 2000, unaccredited
plans shall submit a plan to the commissioner to achieve national accreditation
status within five years.  After the first year of the five-year plan, each
unaccredited plan shall also submit an annual progress report to the
commissioner on the status of gaining national accreditation.  The commissioner
shall determine which national accreditation organization is appropriate for
each type of plan.



(d)  Every mutual benefit society, every health
maintenance organization, and every other entity offering or providing health
benefits or services under the regulation of the commissioner, except an
insurer licensed to offer accident and health or sickness insurance under
article 10A of chapter 431, shall deposit with the commissioner a fee to
provide for the actual costs of the survey and educational program to be
determined by the commissioner on July 1 of each year, to be credited to the
compliance resolution fund. [L 1999, c 137, pt of §2; am L 2002, c 39, §18; am
L 2003, c 212, §128]