ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor                             Ch. 486

(ii) one bariatric surgeon:

(4)     one consumer, appointed by the Maryland Weight Loss Surgery
Legislative Action Committee; and

(5)     one representative of the Maryland Health Care Commission.

(c)     The members of the Task Force shall appoint a chairman from among their
members.

(d)     A member of the Task Force is not entitled to compensation or
reimbursement for expenses.

(e)     The Task Force shall:

(1)     review the utilization review procedures currently used by health
insurance carriers that provide surgical treatment for morbid obesity under § 15-839
of the Insurance Article;

(2)     review the National Institutes of Health guidelines and any other
nationally recognized guidelines or criteria for the surgical treatment of morbid
obesity; and

(3)     recommend a set of guidelines or criteria that are appropriate for the
utilization review of the surgical treatment of morbid obesity, and reasonable
procedures for documenting patient compliance with the guidelines or criteria.

(f)      The Task Force shall report its findings and recommendations, in
accordance with § 2-1246 of the State Government Article, to the Senate Finance
Committee and the House Health and Government Operations Committee on or
before December 1, 2004.

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, on or before December
15. 2004, the Maryland Insurance Administration shall report, in accordance with §
2-1246 of the State Government Article, to the Senate Finance Committee and the
House Health and Government Operations Committee, for the period from June 1,
2004, through November 30, 2004, on:

(1)     the number of complaints filed with the Administration relating to
the denial of coverage for the surgical treatment of morbid obesity;

(2)     the health insurance carrier that denied coverage and the reason
given for the denial; and

(3)     whether the Administration upheld or reversed the denial of coverage
and the basis of the decision.

SECTION 2. 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take
effect June 1, 2004. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and, at the end of
May 31, 2005, with no further action required by the General Assembly, this Act shall
be abrogated and of no further force and effect.

Approved May 26, 2004.

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