Ch. 352                                    1996 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(1) Reviewing applications for participation in the carrier's provider panel in
accordance with the provisions of this section;

(2)    Notifying an enrollee of:

(i) The termination from the carrier's provider panel of the enrollee's
primary care provider who was furnishing health care services to the enrollee; and

(ii) The right of an enrollee upon request to continue to receive health care
services for a period of up to 90 days from the date of a primary care provider's notice of
termination from a carrier's provider panel for reasons unrelated to fraud, patient abuse,
incompetency, or loss of licensure status by the provider;

(3)    Notifying primary care providers in the carrier's provider panel of the
termination of a specialty referral services provider: and

(4)    Notifying a provider at least 90 days prior to the date of the termination of
the provider for reasons unrelated to fraud, patient abuse, incompetency, or loss of licensure
status by the provider.                                                       

(c) A carrier that uses a provider panel shall:

(1)     Upon request, provide an application, and information relative to
consideration for participation in the carrier's provider panel, to any provider wishing to apply
for participation in the carrier's provider panel;

(2)    Make publicly available its application; and

(3)    Make efforts to increase the opportunity of a broad range of minority
providers to participate in the carrier's provider panel.

(d) (1) A provider seeking participation in the provider panel of a carrier shall
submit an application to the carrier.

(2)     (i) After review by a carrier of an application submitted under paragraph
(1) of this subsection, subject to the provisions of paragraph (3) of this subsection, the carrier
shall accept or reject the provider for participation in the carrier's provider panel.

(ii) If the carrier rejects the provider for participation in the carrier's
provider panel the carrier shall send written notification of the rejection to the provider to the
address listed on the application

(3)     (i) Except as provided in paragraph (4) of this subsection, within 30 days
after the date of receipt by the carrier of a completed application, a carrier shall give written
notice to the provider to the address listed on the application of:

1. The carrier's intent to continue to process the provider's
application for purposes of obtaining necessary credentialing information; or

2. The carrier's rejection of the provider for participation in the
carrier's provider panel.

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