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§ 15-126. Emergency medical response and transportation systems in competition with Maryland Em...

West's Annotated Code of MarylandInsurance

West's Annotated Code of Maryland
Insurance (Refs & Annos)
Title 15. Health Insurance
Subtitle 1. General Provisions (Refs & Annos)
MD Code, Insurance, § 15-126
§ 15-126. Emergency medical response and transportation systems in competition with Maryland Emergency Medical Services System (911) prohibited
Currentness
Emergency medical condition defined
(a) In this section, “emergency medical condition” means a medical condition that manifests itself by symptoms of sufficient severity, including severe pain, that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected by a prudent layperson, who possesses an average knowledge of health and medicine, to result in:
(1) placing the patient's health in serious jeopardy;
(2) serious impairment to bodily functions; or
(3) serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.
Application of section
(b) This section applies to:
(1) insurers and nonprofit health service plans that provide hospital, medical, or surgical benefits to individuals or groups under health insurance policies that are issued or delivered in the State; and
(2) health maintenance organizations that provide hospital, medical, or surgical benefits to individuals or groups under contracts that are issued or delivered in the State.
Competition with Maryland Emergency Medical Services System (911) prohibited
(c)(1) An entity subject to this section may not establish or promote an emergency medical response and transportation system that encourages or directs access by an insured or enrollee in competition with or in substitution of the Maryland Emergency Medical Services System (911) or other State, county, or local government emergency medical services system.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, an entity subject to this section may use transportation outside the 911 or other government emergency medical services system for services that are not in response to an emergency medical condition.
Requiring insured or enrollee to obtain prior authorization before access to 911 system prohibited
(d) An entity subject to this section may not require an insured or enrollee to obtain prior authorization before accessing the 911 system or other State, county, or local government emergency medical services system for an emergency medical condition.
False and misleading language in materials or discouraging access to 911 system prohibited
(e) An entity subject to this section may not use false or misleading language in its enrollment sales materials or in any other materials provided to insureds or enrollees to discourage or prohibit insureds or enrollees from accessing the 911 system for an emergency medical condition.

Credits

Added by Acts 1999, c. 268, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1999.
MD Code, Insurance, § 15-126, MD INSURANCE § 15-126
Current through legislation effective through April 9, 2023, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
End of Document