632.835(7)(b)
(b) A health benefit plan that is the subject of an independent review and the insurer that issued the health benefit plan shall not be liable to any person for damages attributable to the insurer's or plan's actions taken in compliance with any decision rendered by a certified independent review organization.
632.835(8)
(8) Notice of sufficient independent review organizations. The commissioner shall make a determination that at least one independent review organization has been certified under
sub. (4) that is able to effectively provide the independent reviews required under this section and shall publish a notice in the Wisconsin Administrative Register that states a date that is 2 months after the commissioner makes that determination. The date stated in the notice shall be the date on which the independent review procedure under this section begins operating.
632.835(9)
(9) Applicability. The independent review required under this section shall be available to an insured who receives notice of the disposition of his or her grievance under
s. 632.83 (3) (d) on or after December 1, 2000. Notwithstanding
sub. (2) (c), an insured who receives notice of the disposition of his or her grievance under
s. 632.83 (3) (d) on or after December 1, 2000, but before June 15, 2002, must request an independent review no later than 4 months after June 15, 2002.
632.835 History
History: 1999 a. 155;
2001 a. 65.
632.835 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See also ch.
Ins 18, Wis. adm. code.
632.84
632.84
Benefit appeals under certain policies. 632.84(1)(b)
(b) "Nursing home insurance policy" means an individual or group insurance policy which provides coverage primarily for confinement or care in a nursing home.
632.84(2)(a)(a) Except as provided in
sub. (3), an insurer offering a medicare supplement policy, medicare replacement policy, nursing home insurance policy or long-term care insurance policy shall establish an internal procedure by which the policyholder or the certificate holder or a representative of the policyholder or the certificate holder may appeal the denial of any benefits under the medicare supplement policy, medicare replacement policy, nursing home insurance policy or long-term care insurance policy. The procedure established under this paragraph shall include all of the following:
632.84(2)(a)1.
1. The opportunity for the policyholder or certificate holder or a representative of the policyholder or certificate holder to submit a written request, which may be in any form and which may include supporting material, for review by the insurer of the denial of any benefits under the policy.
632.84(2)(a)2.
2. Within 30 days after receiving the request under
subd. 1., disposition of the review and notification to the person submitting the request of the results of the review.
632.84(2)(b)
(b) An insurer shall describe the procedure established under
par. (a) in every policy, group certificate and outline of coverage issued in connection with a medicare supplement policy, medicare replacement policy, nursing home insurance policy or long-term care insurance policy.
632.84(2)(c)
(c) If an insurer denies any benefits under a medicare supplement policy, medicare replacement policy, nursing home insurance policy or long-term care insurance policy, the insurer shall, at the time the insurer gives notice of the denial of any benefits, provide the policyholder and certificate holder with a written description of the appeal process established under
par. (a).
632.84(2)(d)
(d) An insurer offering a medicare supplement policy, medicare replacement policy, nursing home insurance policy or long-term care insurance policy shall annually report to the commissioner a summary of all appeals filed under this section and the disposition of those appeals.
632.84(3)
(3) Exceptions. This section does not apply to a health maintenance organization, limited service health organization or preferred provider plan, as defined in
s. 609.01.
632.84 History
History: 1987 a. 156,
403;
1989 a. 31.
632.85
632.85
Coverage without prior authorization for treatment of an emergency medical condition. 632.85(1)(a)
(a) "Emergency medical condition" means a medical condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity, including severe pain, to lead a prudent layperson who possesses an average knowledge of health and medicine to reasonably conclude that a lack of immediate medical attention will likely result in any of the following:
632.85(1)(a)1.
1. Serious jeopardy to the person's health or, with respect to a pregnant woman, serious jeopardy to the health of the woman or her unborn child.
632.85(1)(a)2.
2. Serious impairment to the person's bodily functions.
632.85(1)(a)3.
3. Serious dysfunction of one or more of the person's body organs or parts.
632.85(1)(c)
(c) "Self-insured health plan" means a self-insured health plan of the state or a county, city, village, town or school district.
632.85(2)
(2) If a health care plan or a self-insured health plan provides coverage of any emergency medical services, the health care plan or self-insured health plan shall provide coverage of emergency medical services that are provided in a hospital emergency facility and that are needed to evaluate or stabilize, as defined in section 1867 of the federal Social Security Act, an emergency medical condition.
632.85(3)
(3) A health care plan or a self-insured health plan that is required to provide the coverage under
sub. (2) may not require prior authorization for the provision or coverage of the emergency medical services specified in
sub. (2).
632.85 History
History: 1997 a. 155.
632.853
632.853
Coverage of drugs and devices. A health care plan, as defined in
s. 628.36 (2) (a) 1., or a self-insured health plan, as defined in
s. 632.85 (1) (c), that provides coverage of only certain specified prescription drugs or devices shall develop a process through which a physician may present medical evidence to obtain an individual patient exception for coverage of a prescription drug or device not routinely covered by the plan. The process shall include timelines for both urgent and nonurgent review.
632.853 History
History: 1997 a. 237.
632.855
632.855
Requirements if experimental treatment limited. 632.855(2)
(2) Disclosure of limitations. A health care plan or a self-insured health plan that limits coverage of experimental treatment shall define the limitation and disclose the limits in any agreement, policy or certificate of coverage. This disclosure shall include the following information:
632.855(2)(a)
(a) Who is authorized to make a determination on the limitation.
632.855(2)(b)
(b) The criteria the plan uses to determine whether a treatment, procedure, drug or device is experimental.
632.855(3)
(3) Denial of treatment. A health care plan or a self-insured health plan that receives a request for prior authorization of an experimental procedure that includes all of the required information upon which to make a decision shall, within 5 working days after receiving the request, issue a coverage decision. If the health care plan or self-insured health plan denies coverage of an experimental treatment, procedure, drug or device for an insured who has a terminal condition or illness, the health care plan or self-insured health plan shall, as part of its coverage decision, provide the insured with a denial letter that includes all of the following:
632.855(3)(a)
(a) A statement setting forth the specific medical and scientific reasons for denying coverage.
632.855(3)(b)
(b) Notice of the insured's right to appeal and a description of the appeal procedure.
632.855 History
History: 1997 a. 237.
632.86
632.86
Restrictions on pharmaceutical services. 632.86(1)(a)
(a) "Disability insurance policy" has the meaning given in
s. 632.895 (1) (a), except that the term does not include coverage under a health maintenance organization, as defined in
s. 609.01 (2), a limited service health organization, as defined in
s. 609.01 (3), a preferred provider plan, as defined in
s. 609.01 (4), or a sickness care plan operated by a cooperative association organized under
ss. 185.981 to
185.985.
632.86(1)(b)
(b) "Pharmaceutical mail order plan" means a plan under which prescribed drugs or devices are dispensed through the mail.
632.86(2)
(2) No group or blanket disability insurance policy that provides coverage of prescribed drugs or devices through a pharmaceutical mail order plan may do any of the following:
632.86(2)(a)
(a) Exclude coverage, expressly or by implication, of any prescribed drug or device provided by a pharmacist or pharmacy selected by a covered individual if the pharmacist or pharmacy provides or agrees to provide prescribed drugs or devices under the terms of the policy and at the same cost to the insurer issuing the policy as a pharmaceutical mail order plan.
632.86(2)(b)
(b) Contain coverage, deductible or copayment provisions for prescribed drugs or devices provided by a pharmacist or pharmacy selected by a covered individual that are different from the coverage, deductible or copayment provisions for prescribed drugs or devices provided by a pharmaceutical mail order plan.
632.86 History
History: 1991 a. 70.
632.87
632.87
Restrictions on health care services. 632.87(1)
(1) No insurer may refuse to provide or pay for benefits for health care services provided by a licensed health care professional on the ground that the services were not rendered by a physician as defined in
s. 990.01 (28), unless the contract clearly excludes services by such practitioners, but no contract or plan may exclude services in violation of
sub. (2),
(2m),
(3),
(4) or
(5).
632.87(2)
(2) No insurer may, under a contract or plan covering vision care services or procedures, refuse to provide coverage for vision care services or procedures provided by an optometrist licensed under
ch. 449 within the scope of the practice of optometry, as defined in
s. 449.01 (1), if the contract or plan includes coverage for the same services or procedures when provided by another health care provider.
632.87(2m)(a)(a) No health maintenance organization or preferred provider plan that provides vision care services or procedures within the scope of the practice of optometry, as defined in
s. 449.01 (1), may do any of the following:
632.87(2m)(a)1.
1. Fail to provide to persons covered by the health maintenance organization or preferred provider plan, at the time of enrollment and annually thereafter, a listing of then participating vision care providers, including participating optometrists, setting forth the names of the vision care providers in alphabetical order by last name and their respective business addresses and telephone numbers, with the listing of participating vision care providers to be incorporated in any listing of all participating health care providers that includes the same information regarding all providers, if such listing is provided at the time of enrollment and annually thereafter, or with the listing of participating vision care providers otherwise to be provided separately.
632.87(2m)(a)2.
2. Fail to provide to persons covered by the health maintenance organization or preferred provider plan, at the time vision care services or procedures are needed, the opportunity to choose optometrists from the listing under
subd. 1. from whom the persons may obtain covered vision care services and procedures within the scope of the practice of optometry, as defined in
s. 449.01 (1).
632.87(2m)(a)3.
3. Fail to include as participating providers in the health maintenance organization or preferred provider plan optometrists licensed under
ch. 449 in sufficient numbers to meet the demand of persons covered by the health maintenance organization or preferred provider plan for optometric services.
632.87(2m)(a)4.
4. When vision care services or procedures are deemed appropriate by the health maintenance organization or preferred provider plan, restrict or discourage a person covered by the health maintenance organization or preferred provider plan from obtaining covered vision care services or procedures, within the scope of the practice of optometry as defined in
s. 449.01 (1), from participating optometrists solely on the basis that the providers are optometrists.
632.87(3)(a)(a) No policy, plan or contract may exclude coverage for diagnosis and treatment of a condition or complaint by a licensed chiropractor within the scope of the chiropractor's professional license, if the policy, plan or contract covers diagnosis and treatment of the condition or complaint by a licensed physician or osteopath, even if different nomenclature is used to describe the condition or complaint. Examination by or referral from a physician shall not be a condition precedent for receipt of chiropractic care under this paragraph. This paragraph does not:
632.87(3)(a)1.
1. Prohibit the application of deductibles or coinsurance provisions to chiropractic and physician charges on an equal basis.
632.87(3)(a)2.
2. Prohibit the application of cost containment or quality assurance measures to chiropractic services in a manner that is consistent with cost containment or quality assurance measures generally applicable to physician services and that is consistent with this section.
632.87(3)(b)
(b) No insurer, under a policy, plan or contract covering diagnosis and treatment of a condition or complaint by a licensed chiropractor within the scope of the chiropractor's professional license, may do any of the following:
632.87(3)(b)1.
1. Restrict or terminate coverage for the treatment of a condition or a complaint by a licensed chiropractor within the scope of the chiropractor's professional license on the basis of other than an examination or evaluation by or a recommendation of a licensed chiropractor or a peer review committee that includes a licensed chiropractor.
632.87(3)(b)2.
2. Refuse to provide coverage to an individual because that individual has been treated by a chiropractor.
632.87(3)(b)3.
3. Establish underwriting standards that are more restrictive for chiropractic care than for care provided by other health care providers.
632.87(3)(b)4.
4. Exclude or restrict health care coverage of a health condition solely because the condition may be treated by a chiropractor.
632.87(3)(c)
(c) An exclusion or a restriction that violates
par. (b) is void in its entirety.
632.87(4)
(4) No policy, plan or contract may exclude coverage for diagnosis and treatment of a condition or complaint by a licensed dentist within the scope of the dentist's license, if the policy, plan or contract covers diagnosis and treatment of the condition or complaint by another health care provider, as defined in
s. 146.81 (1).
632.87(5)
(5) No insurer or self-insured school district, city or village may, under a policy, plan or contract covering gynecological services or procedures, exclude or refuse to provide coverage for Papanicolaou tests, pelvic examinations or associated laboratory fees when the test or examination is performed by a licensed nurse practitioner, as defined in
s. 632.895 (8) (a) 3., within the scope of the nurse practitioner's professional license, if the policy, plan or contract includes coverage for Papanicolaou tests, pelvic examinations or associated laboratory fees when the test or examination is performed by a physician.
632.87 Annotation
Legislative Council Note, 1975: This [sub. (1)] continues (and expands the scope of) s. 207.04 (1) (k) [repealed by this act], which does not deal with an unfair marketing practice but an unduly restrictive interpretation of an insurance contract. Presently it applies only to podiatrists but the same principles apply to all health care professionals. Since the legislature has licensed podiatrists (s. 448.10 et. seq.), as well as other health care professionals who are not physicians, applicable insurance contracts should provide benefits for their services or payment to them, as well as for those of physicians, unless they are specifically and clearly excluded by a policy which has been approved by the commissioner. But general principles of freedom of contract should be operative if the contract is clear enough. Parties negotiating for insurance coverage should be free to decide what kind of health care services they want and are willing to pay for. [Bill 16-S]
632.875
632.875
Independent evaluations relating to chiropractic treatment. 632.875(1)(a)
(a) "Chiropractor" means a person licensed to practice chiropractic under
ch. 446.
632.875(1)(b)
(b) "Independent evaluation" means an examination or evaluation by or recommendation of a chiropractor or a peer review committee under
s. 632.87 (3) (b) 1.
632.875(1)(c)
(c) "Patient" means a person whose treatment by a chiropractor is the subject of an independent evaluation.
632.875(1)(d)
(d) "Treating chiropractor" means a chiropractor who is treating a patient and whose treatment of the patient is the subject of an independent evaluation.
632.875(2)
(2) If, on the basis of an independent evaluation, an insurer restricts or terminates a patient's coverage for the treatment of a condition or complaint by a chiropractor acting within the scope of his or her license and the restriction or termination of coverage results in the patient becoming liable for payment for his or her treatment, the insurer shall, within the time required under
s. 628.46 (2m), provide to the patient and to the treating chiropractor a written statement that contains all of the following:
632.875(2)(d)
(d) A description of the insurer's internal appeal process that is available to the patient.
632.875(2)(e)
(e) A statement indicating that the patient may, no later than 30 days after receiving the statement required under this subsection, request an internal appeal of the insurer's restriction or termination of coverage.
632.875(2)(f)
(f) The address to which the patient should send the request for an appeal.
632.875(2)(g)
(g) A reasonable explanation of the factual basis and of the basis in the policy, plan or contract or in applicable law for the insurer's restriction or termination of coverage.
632.875(2)(h)
(h) A list of records and documents reviewed as part of the independent evaluation.
