(1) An organization may enter into a prudent purchaser agreement with 1 or more health care providers of a specific service to control health care costs, assure appropriate utilization of health care services, and maintain quality of health care. The organization may limit the number of prudent purchaser agreements entered into under this section if the number of agreements is sufficient to assure reasonable levels of access to health care services for recipients of those services. The number of prudent purchaser agreements authorized by this section that are necessary to assure reasonable levels of access to health care services for recipients shall be determined by the organization. However, the organization shall offer a prudent purchaser agreement, comparable to those agreements with other members of the provider panel, to at least 1 health care provider that provides the applicable health care services and is located within a reasonable distance from the recipients of those health care services, if a health care provider that provides the applicable health care services is located within that reasonable distance.

    (2) An organization shall give all health care providers that provide the applicable health care services and are located in the geographic area served by the organization an opportunity to apply to the organization for membership on the provider panel.

    (3) A prudent purchaser agreement shall be based upon the following written standards, which shall be filed by the organization with the commissioner on a form and in a manner that is uniformly developed and applied by the commissioner before the initial provider panel is formed:

    (a) Standards for maintaining quality health care.

    (b) Standards for controlling health care costs.

    (c) Standards for assuring appropriate utilization of health care services.

    (d) Standards for assuring reasonable levels of access to health care services.

    (e) Other standards considered appropriate by the organization.

    (4) An organization shall develop and institute procedures that are designed to notify health care providers located in the geographic area served by the organization of the acceptance of applications for a provider panel. The procedures shall include the giving of notice to providers of the service upon request and shall include publication in a newspaper with general circulation in the geographic area served by the organization at least 30 days before the initial provider application period. An organization shall provide for an initial 60-day provider application period during which providers of the service may apply to the organization for membership on the provider panel. An organization that has entered into a prudent purchaser agreement concerning a particular health care service shall provide, at least once every 4 years, for a 60-day provider application period during which providers of that service may apply to the organization for membership on the provider panel. Notice of this provider application period shall be given to providers of the service upon request and shall be published in a newspaper with general circulation in the geographic area served by the organization at least 30 days before the commencement of the provider application period. The initial 60-day provider application period and procedures and the 4-year 60-day provider application periods and procedures required under this subsection do not apply to organizations whose provider panels are open to application for membership at any time. Upon receipt of a request by a health care provider, the organization shall provide the written standards described in subsection (3) to the health care provider. Within 90 days after the close of a provider application period, or within 30 days following the completion of the applicable physician credentialing process, whichever is later, an organization shall notify an applicant in writing as to whether the applicant has been accepted or rejected for membership on the provider panel. If an applicant has been rejected, the organization shall state in writing the reasons for rejection, citing 1 or more of the standards.

    (5) A health care provider whose membership on an organization’s provider panel is terminated shall be provided upon request with a written explanation by the organization of the reasons for the termination.

    (6) An organization that enters into a prudent purchaser agreement shall institute a program for the professional review of the quality of health care, performance of health care personnel, and utilization of services and facilities under the prudent purchaser agreement. At least every 2 years, the organization shall provide for an evaluation of its professional review program by a professionally recognized independent third party.

    (7) If 2 or more classes of health care providers may legally provide the same health care service, the organization shall offer each class of health care providers the opportunity to apply to the organization for membership on the provider panel.

    (8) Each prudent purchaser agreement shall state that the health care provider may be removed from the provider panel before the expiration of the agreement if the provider does not comply with the requirements of the contract.

    (9) This act does not preclude a health care provider or health care facility from being a member of more than 1 provider panel.

    (10) A provider panel may include health care providers and facilities outside this state if necessary to assure reasonable levels of access to health care services under coverage authorized by this act.

    (11) When coverage authorized by this act is offered to a person, the organization shall give or cause to be given to the person the following information:

    (a) The identity of the organization contracting with the provider panel.

    (b) The identity of the party sponsoring the coverage including, but not limited to, the employer.

    (c) The identity of the collective bargaining agent if the coverage is offered pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement.

    (12) If a person who has coverage authorized by this act is entitled to receive a health care service when rendered by a health care provider who is a member of the provider panel, the person is entitled to receive the health care service from a health care provider who is not a member of the provider panel for an emergency episode of illness or injury that requires immediate treatment before it can be obtained from a health care provider who is on the provider panel.

    (13) Subsections (2) to (12) do not limit the authority of organizations to limit the number of prudent purchaser agreements.

    (14) If coverage under a prudent purchaser agreement provides for benefits for services that are within the scope of practice of optometry, this act does not require that coverage or reimbursement be provided for a practice of optometry service unless that service was included in the definition of practice of optometry under section 17401 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.17401, as of May 20, 1992.

    (15) If coverage under a prudent purchaser agreement provides for benefits for services that are within the scope of practice of chiropractic, this act does not require that coverage or reimbursement be provided for a practice of chiropractic service unless that service was included in the definition of practice of chiropractic under section 16401 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.16401, as of January 1, 2009.

    (16) If coverage under a prudent purchaser agreement provides for benefits for services that are provided by a licensed physical therapist or physical therapist assistant under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist, this act does not require that coverage or reimbursement be provided for services provided by a physical therapist or a physical therapist assistant unless that service was provided by a licensed physical therapist or physical therapist assistant under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist pursuant to a prescription from a health care professional who holds a license issued under part 166, 170, 175, or 180 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.16601 to 333.16648, 333.17001 to 333.17084, 333.17501 to 333.17556, and 333.18001 to 333.18058, or the equivalent license issued by another state.