(a) Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, the division of insurance, in consultation with the secretary of health and human services, shall promulgate regulations on or before December 1, 2011 to promote administrative simplification in the processing of claims for health care services under health benefit plans by carriers, as defined in section 1 of chapter 176O of the General Laws. At a minimum, the regulations shall: (1) establish uniform standards and processes for determining health benefit plan member eligibility by health care providers; (2) establish standards and processes for provider appeals of denied claims; and (3) establish a standard authorization form to be submitted by health care providers to obtain authorization to provide health care services to a member. The division shall, before adopting regulations under this section, consult with a statewide advisory commission charged with investigating and studying the relative value of a uniform claims administration system for all payers in the commonwealth. (b) The commission shall be comprised of: the director of the office of Medicaid or a designee; the commissioner of insurance or a designee; the commissioner of health care finance and policy or a designee; 1 person appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 1 person appointed by the senate president; 1 person appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; 1 person appointed by the minority leader of the senate; 1 person designated by the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, Inc.; 1 person designated by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc.; 2 persons designated by the Massachusetts Hospital Association, Inc., 1 of whom shall represent teaching hospitals and 1 of whom shall represent community hospitals; 1 person designated by the Massachusetts Public Health Association; and 2 persons designated by the Massachusetts Medical Society. In addition, the regional administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services or a designee, and a member of the senior management of a Medicare administrative contractor will be invited to participate in the commission, but shall not have a vote. (c) The commission shall undertake a study of the feasibility of mandating a single claims administration system for all payers in the commonwealth, other than Medicare, and of the potential savings to be derived from doing so. For purposes of this section, the term ‘payer’ shall mean both a private health care payer and a public health care payer, as those terms are defined in section 1 chapter 118G of the General Laws. In undertaking its responsibilities under this section, the commission shall (i) determine the feasibility of using a single claims administration system for all payers in the commonwealth, other than Medicare; (ii) (ii) undertake a detailed analysis of the merits and limits of the Medicare claims administration system; (iii) determine what models exist that might constitute the most efficient and effective consolidated claims administration system; (iv) identify potential challenges associated with implementation of a single claims administration system for all payers in the commonwealth other than Medicare and also identify proposed solutions for such challenges; (v) identify the costs being incurred by payers and providers as a result of multiple claims administration systems; (vi) estimate the potential cost savings to the commonwealth if the Medicaid program were to implement a uniform claims administration system based on Medicare's system, using regional Medicare administrative contractors; (vii) estimate the potential cost savings if all private health care payers in the commonwealth implemented a uniform claims administration system based on Medicare's system, using regional Medicare administrative contractors, including for their Medicare advantage programs; and (viii) determine the potential savings and costs associated with creating incentives or requiring ERISA plans, Taft–Hartley plans and other self-funded health benefit plans to use regional Medicare administrative contractors for claims management.
Directs the Division of Insurance (DOI), in consultation with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, to establish regulations by December 1, 2011 to simplify health care facility and provider administrative duties of processing claims for health care services. At a minimum, the regulations must create a standard prior authorization form for providers and must specify uniform standards for determining member eligibility and processing provider appeals of denied claims. Establishes a new commission to study the feasibility and financial implications of mandating a single claims administration system that would require the participation of all public and private health insurance payers, other than Medicare, in the Commonwealth. DOI must consult with this commission before adopting regulations under this section.
Session Law added by Section 57 of Chapter 288 of the Acts of 2010