1212                                      LAWS OF MARYLAND                                Ch. 568

laboratory or tissue bank situated in this State or any other state which makes
examinations in connection with the diagnosis and control of human disease or
which procures, processes, distributes or sells human tissue unless the laboratory or
tissue bank so represented or serviced shall meet or exceed the minimum standards
promulgated by the State Board of Health and Mental Hygiene under and
pursuant to this section, and before representing or servicing any laboratory or
tissue bank not situated within this State each such person, partnership, association
or corporation shall make appropriate annual application to the State Board of
Health and Mental Hygiene on such terms and conditions as shall be promulgated
by said Board, the application to show by satisfactory evidence that any such
laboratory or tissue bank not located within this State meets or exceeds the
minimum standards promulgated by said Board pursuant to this section for similar
laboratories or tissue banks located and operated within the State of Maryland.
The term tissue bank as used in this section shall include blood bank and the term
tissue shall include blood. PHYSICIANS EXEMPT FROM LICENSING AND
INSPECTION UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL NEVERTHELESS BE
REQUIRED TO DEMONSTRATE SATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE IN A
PROFICIENCY TESTING PROGRAM IN APPLICABLE LABORATORY
PROCEDURES. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL
HYGIENE SHALL ESTABLISH STANDARDS AND CRITERIA FOR
DEMONSTRATING SATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE IN A
PROFICIENCY TESTING PROGRAM AND FOR CONDUCTING THE
PROGRAMS. THE DEPARTMENT MAY ESTABLISH A SERVICE FEE
FOR THOSE PERSONS PARTICIPATING IN A PROFICIENCY TESTING
PROGRAM CONDUCTED BY THE DEPARTMENT. IF A PHYSICIAN
FAILS TO DEMONSTRATE SATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE, THE
DEPARTMENT SHALL [[ASSIST HIM IN ACHIEVING AN
ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY. IF A PHYSICIAN STILL
FAILS TO DEMONSTRATE SATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE AFTER A
REASONABLE EFFORT TO ASSIST HIM, THAT INFORMATION SHALL
BE SENT TO]] NOTIFY THE COMMISSION ON MEDICAL DISCIPLINE.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take
effect July 1, 1973.

Approved May 21, 1973.

CHAPTER 569
(House Bill 815)

AN ACT to add new Section 375A to Article 48A of the Annotated Code of
Maryland (1972 Replacement Volume), title "Insurance Code," subtitle "22.
Insurance Contracts Generally," to follow immediately after Section 375
thereof; and to repeal Section 376 of Article 48A of the Code, same title and
subtitle, and to enact new Section 376 in lieu thereof, to stand in the place of
the section repealed; to authorize the Insurance Commissioner to hold hearings
to determine if health, accident and disability insurance policies and certificates
meet certain requirements in order to prevent fraud, the issuance of insurance
economically unsound to the insured and to ensure that certain minimum
benefits or coverage is made available to the policy or certificate holder; to
authorize the Commissioner after such hearings are held, and the results thereof
evaluated, to establish and promulgate certain minimum standards and
requirements of such policies and certificates that must be met: to give the