HOUSE BILL 111

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

John A. Heaton

AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH INSURERS; REQUIRING HEALTH INSURERS TO REIMBURSE FOR DIRECT SERVICES AT NO LESS THAN EIGHTY-FIVE PERCENT OF PREMIUMS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. A new section of the New Mexico Insurance Code is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] HEALTH INSURERS--DIRECT SERVICES.--

          A. A health insurer shall make reimbursement for direct services at a rate not less than eighty-five percent of premiums across all health product lines over the preceding three calendar years, but not earlier than calendar year 2009, as determined by reports filed with the insurance division of the commission; provided, however, that the calculation does not include premium taxes. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to preclude a purchaser from negotiating an agreement with a health insurer that requires a higher amount of premiums paid to be used for reimbursement for direct services for one or more products or for one or more years.

          B. For the purposes of this section:

                (1) "direct services" means services rendered to an individual by a health insurer or a health care practitioner, facility or other provider, including case management, disease management, health education and promotion, preventive services, quality incentive payments to providers and any portion of an assessment that covers services rather than administration and for which an insurer does not receive a tax credit pursuant to the Medical Insurance Pool Act or the Health Insurance Alliance Act; provided, however, that "direct services" does not include care coordination, utilization review or management or any other activity designed to manage utilization or services;

                (2) "health insurer" means a person duly authorized to transact the business of health insurance in the state pursuant to the Insurance Code but does not include a person that only issues a limited-benefit policy intended to supplement major medical coverage, including medicare supplement, long-term care, disability income, disease-specific, accident-only or hospital indemnity-only insurance policies; and

                (3) "premium" means all income received from individuals and private and public payers or sources for the procurement of health coverage, including capitated payments, self-funded administrative fees, self-funded claim reimbursements, recoveries from third parties or other insurers and interests."

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