Ch. 486

2004 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(2)     health maintenance organizations that provide hospital, medical, or
surgical benefits to individuals or groups under contracts that are issued or delivered
in the State; and

(3)     managed care organizations, as defined in § 15-101 of the Health -
General Article.

(c)     An entity subject to this section shall provide coverage for the SURGICAL
treatment of morbid obesity through gastric bypass surgery or another surgical
method that is[:

(1)] recognized by the National Institutes of Health as effective for the
long-term reversal of morbid obesity[; and

(2) consistent with criteria GUIDELINES approved by the National
Institutes of Health].

(d)     An entity subject to this section shall provide the benefits required under
this section to the same extent as for other medically necessary surgical procedures
under the enrollee's or insured's contract or policy with the entity.

(E) AN ENTITY SUBJECT TO THIS SECTION MAY REQUIRE AN ENROLLEE OR
INSURED TO SATISFY THE DEFINITION OF MORBID OBESITY AND OTHER
GUIDELINES RECOGNIZED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH TO QUALIFY
FOR COVERAGE FOR THIS BENEFIT.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That:

(a)     There is a Task Force to Study Utilization Review of the Surgical
Treatment of Morbid Obesity.

(b)     The Task Force consists of the following members:

(1)     two representatives of the Maryland Hospital Association, appointed
by the Maryland Hospital Association;

(2)     four members, appointed by the Maryland Insurance Administration,
as follows:

State;
State; and

(i) two representatives of health maintenance organizations in the
(ii) one representative of a nonprofit health service plan in the
(iii) one representative of a health insurer in the State;

(3) five physicians, two of whom are endocrinologists or internists with
special expertise in bariatric medicine, appointed by the Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene; and appointed by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene,
including:

(i) two endocrinologists or internists with special expertise in
bariatric medicine; and

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