PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor

S.B. 624

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the Maryland Constitution, I have today
vetoed Senate Bill 624.

This bill allows health care providers to disclose or communicate certain information to
enrollees or subscribers and providers under certain circumstances. The bill also creates
a Task Force to Study Patient and Provider Appeal and Grievance Mechanisms.

House Bill 1374, which was passed by the General Assembly and signed by me on May 14,
1996, accomplishes the same purpose except that the composition of the task force in this
bill is more limited than the composition in House Bill 1374. Therefore, it is not necessary
for me to sign Senate Bill 624.

Sincerely,

Parris N. Glendening

Governor

Senate Bill No. 624

AN ACT concerning

Health Care Provider and Payor Communications Act Health Care Provider and Payor

Act of 1996

FOR the purpose of prohibiting certain insurers and health maintenance organizations
from prohibiting health care practitioners from disclosing or communicating certain
information to enrollees or, subscribers, and certain other persons under certain
circumstances; prohibiting insurers and health maintenance organizations from
requiring health care providers to indemnify or hold harmless the insurer or health
maintenance organization from any liability arising from a coverage decision made
or negligent act by the insurer or health maintenance organization under certain
circumstances; requiring health maintenance organizations that use a certain
economic practice profile to evaluate a provider under contract with the health
maintenance organization to disclose to the provider certain information concerning
the economic practice profile prior to taking a certain action against the provider;
prohibiting certain insurers and health maintenance organizations from withholding
certain reimbursements regardless of the method of reimbursement used by the
insurer or health maintenance organization; altering a certain provision of law
related to developing certain forms to require that a certain study be performed by
certain persons related to the feasibility of a certain uniform voucher form; making
a certain technical correction; establishing a certain study group to evaluate the use
and effectiveness of certain patient and provider grievance appeal procedures;
requiring the study group to make a certain report by a certain date; providing for
the application of certain provisions of this Act to health maintenance
organizations; defining certain terms; providing for the effective date of certain
provisions of this Act; and generally relating to certain insurers and health
maintenance organizations.

BY adding to

Article 48A - Insurance Code

Section 354RR, 470HH, 477RR, and 490FF

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