Massachusetts General Laws ch. 176O sec. 9A – Agreements or contracts between carrier and health care provider prohibited if containing certain provisions
Section 9A. A carrier shall not enter into an agreement or contract with a health care provider if the agreement or contract contains a provision that:
Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws ch. 176O sec. 9A
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
(a)(i) limits the ability of the carrier to introduce or modify a select network plan or tiered network plan by granting the health care provider a guaranteed right of participation; (ii) requires the carrier to place all members of a provider group, whether local practice groups or facilities, in the same tier of a tiered network plan; (iii) requires the carrier to include all members of a provider group, whether local practice groups or facilities, in a select network plan on an all-or-nothing basis; or (iv) requires a provider to participate in a new select network or tiered network plan that the carrier introduces without granting the provider the right to opt-out of the new plan at least 60 days before the new plan is submitted to the commissioner for approval; or
(b) requires or permits the carrier or the health care provider to alter or terminate a contract or agreement, in whole or in part, to affect parity with an agreement or contract with other carriers or health care providers or based on a decision to introduce or modify a select network plan or tiered network plan; or
(c) requires or permits the carrier to make any form of supplemental payment unless each supplemental payment is publicly disclosed to the commissioner as a condition of accreditation, including the amount and purpose of each payment and whether or not each payment is included within the provider’s reported relative prices and health status adjusted total medical expenses under section 10 of chapter 12C; and
(d) limits the ability of either the carrier or the health care provider from disclosing the allowed amount and fees of services to an insured or insured’s treating health care provider.
(e) limits the ability of either the carrier or the health care provider from disclosing out-of-pocket costs to an insured.