PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor

H.B. 783

State House
Annapolis MD 21401

Dear Mr. Speaker:

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the Maryland Constitution, I have today
vetoed House Bill 783.

This bill requires the primary care provider (PCP) of a Medicare HMO enrollee who is a
resident of a continuing care facility to refer the enrollee to the skilled nursing unit of the
resident's continuing care facility after receiving health care services at an acute care
facility if the continuing care facility agrees to become an HMO participating provider,
the patient and the PCP do not choose a different course of treatment, the continuing
care facility meets State licensing and certification guidelines, including Medicare
certification, and the facility's skilled nursing unit is Medicare certified. The continuing
care facility is not obligated to accept anyone other than the residents of the continuing
care facility for health care services and neither the HMO nor the facility is obligated to
advertise the facility's participation in the HMO's provider panel.

Senate Bill 332, which was passed by the General Assembly and signed by me on April 29,
1997, accomplishes the same purpose. Therefore, it is not necessary for me to sign House
Bill 783.

Sincerely,

Parris N. Glendening

Governor

House Bill No. 783

AN ACT concerning

Health Maintenance Organizations - Referrals to Continuing Care Facilities

FOR the purpose of requiring a primary care physician under certain circumstances to
refer a subscriber or an enrollee of a health maintenance organization to the skilled
nursing unit at a continuing care facility for the provision of health care services
whenever the subscriber or enrollee is a resident of the continuing care facility;
providing that the primary care physician does not have to refer a subscriber or an
enrollee to the continuing care facility under certain circumstances; clarifying that
the continuing care facility is not obligated to accept anyone other than a patient for
certain health care services; clarifying that the health maintenance organization and
the continuing care facility are not required to advertise certain information; and
generally relating to referrals to continuing care facilities.

BY adding to

Article - Health - General

Section 19-712.6

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1996 Replacement Volume and 1996 Supplement)

- 4827 -