SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall be
construed only prospectively and may not be applied or interpreted to have any effect
on or application to any suit, action, or proceeding for back rent before the effective
date of this Act.

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 1999.

Approved May 27, 1999.

CHAPTER 676
(House Bill 980)

AN ACT concerning

Insurance—Pharmaceutical Benefits—Patients' Rights
Health Maintenance Organizations - Formulary Development Process -

Accreditation Status

FOR the purpose of requiring certain health insurance carriers to establish and
implement a procedure by which a member may receive a prescription drug that
is not in a carrier's formulary under certain circumstances; providing that a
member may not be required to pay any fee or copayment for the prescription
drug other than that required for a prescription drug in the carrier's formulary;
requiring certain health insurance carriers to give a certain notice to certain
members before substituting another prescription drug for a prescription drug
in its formulary under certain circumstances; prohibiting certain health
insurance carriers from limiting or excluding coverage for certain prescription
drugs under certain circumstances; requiring certain health insurance carriers
to provide coverage for certain new prescription drugs for a certain period of
time under certain circumstances; requiring the Maryland Health Care Access
and Cost Commission to develop and implement a certain rating system for
certain prescription drug coverage plans; requiring the Commission to establish
a certain consumer advisory panel to advise the Commission in developing and
implementing the rating system; specifying the composition of the panel;
requiring certain health insurance carriers to include certain information about
the rating system in any documents that describe a prescription drug coverage
plan offered by a carrier and that are provided to employers or members;
requiring certain health insurance carriers to include certain information in
certain documents provided to members; defining certain terms; providing for
the application of this Act; and generally relating to prescription drug coverage
the Maryland Health Care Access and Cost Commission to include in a certain
annual evaluation information regarding whether the formulary development
process of certain health maintenance organizations meets certain accreditation
standards; making a certain stylistic change; and generally relating to the
publication of quality of care and performance measurements of health
maintenance organizations.