A. After January 1, 2014, a health care plan shall accept the uniform prior authorization form developed pursuant to Sections 2 [59A-2-9.8 N.M. Stat. Ann.] and 3 [61- 11-6.2 NMSA 1978] of this 2013 act as sufficient to request prior authorization for prescription drug benefits.

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B. No later than twenty-four months after the adoption of national standards for electronic prior authorization, a health insurer shall exchange prior authorization requests with providers who have e-prescribing capability.

C. If a health care plan fails to use or accept the uniform prior authorization form or fails to respond within three business days upon receipt of a uniform prior authorization form, the prior authorization request shall be deemed to have been granted.

D. As used in this section, “health care plan” means a nonprofit corporation authorized by the superintendent to enter into contracts with subscribers and to make health care expense payments but does not include:

(1)     a person that only issues a limited-benefit policy intended to supplement major medical coverage, including medicare supplement, vision, dental, disease- specific, accident-only or hospital indemnity-only insurance policies, or that only issues policies for long-term care or disability income;

(2)     a physician or a physician group to which a health care plan has delegated financial risk for prescription drugs and that does not use a prior authorization process for prescription drugs; or

(3)     a health care plan or its affiliated providers, if the health care plan owns and operates its pharmacies and does not use a prior authorization process.