Fla. Stat. § 627.6131 — Florida Code / Title XXXVII / Chapter 627 / Part VI / Section 627.6131
627.6131 Payment of claims.
Status: in_force

(1) The contract shall include the following provision: “Time of Payment of Claims: After receiving written proof of loss, the insurer will pay monthly all benefits then due for (type of benefit) . Benefits for any other loss covered by this policy will be paid as soon as the insurer receives proper written proof.”

(2) As used in this section, the term “claim” for a noninstitutional provider means a paper or electronic billing instrument submitted to the insurer’s designated location that consists of the HCFA 1500 data set, or its successor, that has all mandatory entries for a physician licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter 460, chapter 461, or chapter 463, or psychologists licensed under chapter 490 or any appropriate billing instrument that has all mandatory entries for any other noninstitutional provider. For institutional providers, “claim” means a paper or electronic billing instrument submitted to the insurer’s designated location that consists of the UB-92 data set or its successor with entries stated as mandatory by the National Uniform Billing Committee.

(3) All claims for payment or overpayment, whether electronic or nonelectronic: (a) Are considered received on the date the claim is received by the insurer at its designated claims-receipt location or the date the claim for overpayment is received by the provider at its designated location. (b) Must be mailed or electronically transferred to the primary insurer within 6 months after the following have occurred: 1. Discharge for inpatient services or the date of service for outpatient services; and 2. The provider has been furnished with the correct name and address of the patient’s health insurer. All claims for payment, whether electronic or nonelectronic, must be mailed or electronically transferred to the secondary insurer within 90 days after final determination by the primary insurer. A provider’s claim is considered submitted on the date it is electronically transferred or mailed. (c) Must not duplicate a claim previously submitted unless it is determined that the original claim was not received or is otherwise lost.

(4) For all electronically submitted claims, a health insurer shall: (a) Within 24 hours after the beginning of the next business day after receipt of the claim, provide electronic acknowledgment of the receipt of the claim to the electronic source submitting the claim. (b) Within 20 days after receipt of the claim, pay the claim or notify a provider or designee if a claim is denied or contested. Notice of the insurer’s action on the claim and payment of the claim is considered to be made on the date the notice or payment was mailed or electronically transferred. (c)1. Notification of the health insurer’s determination of a contested claim must be accompanied by an itemized list of additional information or documents the insurer can reasonably determine are necessary to process the claim. 2. A provider must submit the additional information or documentation, as specified on the itemized list, within 35 days after receipt of the notification. Additional information is considered submitted on the date it is electronically transferred or mailed. The health insurer may not request duplicate documents. (d) For purposes of this subsection, electronic means of transmission of claims, notices, documents, forms, and payments shall be used to the greatest extent possible by the health insurer and the provider. (e) A claim must be paid or denied within 90 days after receipt of the claim. Failure to pay or deny a claim within 120 days after receipt of the claim creates an uncontestable obligation to pay the claim.

(5) For all nonelectronically submitted claims, a health insurer shall: (a) Effective November 1, 2003, provide acknowledgment of receipt of the claim within 15 days after receipt of the claim to the provider or provide a provider within 15 days after receipt with electronic access to the status of a submitted claim. (b) Within 40 days after receipt of the claim, pay the claim or notify a provider or designee if a claim is denied or contested. Notice of the insurer’s action on the claim and payment of the claim is considered to be made on the date the notice or payment was mailed or electronically transferred. (c)1. Notification of the health insurer’s determination of a contested claim must be accompanied by an itemized list of additional information or documents the insurer can reasonably determine are necessary to process the claim. 2. A provider must submit the additional information or documentation, as specified on the itemized list, within 35 days after receipt of the notification. Additional information is considered submitted on the date it is electronically transferred or mailed. The health insurer may not request duplicate documents. (d) For purposes of this subsection, electronic means of transmission of claims, notices, documents, forms, and payments shall be used to the greatest extent possible by the health insurer and the provider. (e) A claim must be paid or denied within 120 days after receipt of the claim. Failure to pay or deny a claim within 140 days after receipt of the claim creates an uncontestable obligation to pay the claim.

(6) If a health insurer determines that it has made an overpayment to a provider for services rendered to an insured, the health insurer must make a claim for such overpayment to the provider’s designated location. A health insurer that makes a claim for overpayment to a provider under this section shall give the provider a written or electronic statement specifying the basis for the retroactive denial or payment adjustment. The insurer must identify the claim or claims, or overpayment claim portion thereof, for which a claim for overpayment is submitted. (a) If an overpayment determination is the result of retroactive review or audit of coverage decisions or payment levels not related to fraud, a health insurer shall adhere to the following procedures: 1. All claims for overpayment must be submitted to a provider within 30 months after the health insurer’s payment of the claim. A provider must pay, deny, or contest the health insurer’s claim for overpayment within 40 days after the receipt of the claim. All contested claims for overpayment must be paid or denied within 120 days after receipt of the claim. Failure to pay or deny overpayment and claim within 140 days after receipt creates an uncontestable obligation to pay the claim. 2. A provider that denies or contests a health insurer’s claim for overpayment or any portion of a claim shall notify the health insurer, in writing, within 35 days after the provider receives the claim that the claim for overpayment is contested or denied. The notice that the claim for overpayment is denied or contested must identify the contested portion of the claim and the specific reason for contesting or denying the claim and, if contested, must include a request for additional information. If the health insurer submits additional information, the health insurer must, within 35 days after receipt of the request, mail or electronically transfer the information to the provider. The provider shall pay or deny the claim for overpayment within 45 days after receipt of the information. The notice is considered made on the date the notice is mailed or electronically transferred by the provider. 3. The health insurer may not reduce payment to the provider for other services unless the provider agrees to the reduction in writing or fails to respond to the health insurer’s overpayment claim as required by this paragraph. 4. Payment of an overpayment claim is considered made on the date the payment was mailed or electronically transferred. An overdue payment of a claim bears simple interest at the rate of 12 percent per year. Interest on an overdue payment for a claim for an overpayment begins to accrue when the claim should have been paid, denied, or contested. (b) A claim for overpayment shall not be permitted beyond 30 months after the health insurer’s payment of a claim, except that claims for overpayment may be sought beyond that time from providers convicted of fraud pursuant to s. 817.234.

(7) Payment of a claim is considered made on the date the payment was mailed or electronically transferred. An overdue payment of a claim bears simple interest of 12 percent per year. Interest on an overdue payment for a claim or for any portion of a claim begins to accrue when the claim should have been paid, denied, or contested. The interest is payable with the payment of the claim.

(8) For all contracts entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2002, a health insurer’s internal dispute resolution process related to a denied claim not under active review by a mediator, arbitrator, or third-party dispute entity must be finalized within 60 days after the receipt of the provider’s request for review or appeal.

(9) A provider or any representative of a provider, regardless of whether the provider is under contract with the health insurer, may not collect or attempt to collect money from, maintain any action at law against, or report to a credit agency an insured for payment of covered services for which the health insurer contested or denied the provider’s claim. This prohibition applies during the pendency of any claim for payment made by the provider to the health insurer for payment of the services or internal dispute resolution process to determine whether the health insurer is liable for the services. For a claim, this pendency applies from the date the claim or a portion of the claim is denied to the date of the completion of the health insurer’s internal dispute resolution process, not to exceed 60 days. This subsection does not prohibit the collection by the provider of copayments, coinsurance, or deductible amounts due the provider.

(10) The provisions of this section may not be waived, voided, or nullified by contract.

(11) A health insurer may not retroactively deny a claim because of insured ineligibility more than 1 year after the date of payment of the claim.

(12) A health insurer shall pay a contracted primary care or admitting physician, pursuant to such physician’s contract, for providing inpatient services in a contracted hospital to an insured if such services are determined by the health insurer to be medically necessary and covered services under the health insurer’s contract with the contract holder.

(13) Upon written notification by an insured, an insurer shall investigate any claim of improper billing by a physician, hospital, or other health care provider. The insurer shall determine if the insured was properly billed for only those procedures and services that the insured actually received. If the insurer determines that the insured has been improperly billed, the insurer shall notify the insured and the provider of its findings and shall reduce the amount of payment to the provider by the amount determined to be improperly billed. If a reduction is made due to such notification by the insured, the insurer shall pay to the insured 20 percent of the amount of the reduction up to $500.

(14) A permissible error ratio of 5 percent is established for insurer’s claims payment violations of paragraphs (4)(a), (b), (c), and (e) and (5)(a), (b), (c), and (e). If the error ratio of a particular insurer does not exceed the permissible error ratio of 5 percent for an audit period, no fine shall be assessed for the noted claims violations for the audit period. The error ratio shall be determined by dividing the number of claims with violations found on a statistically valid sample of claims for the audit period by the total number of claims in the sample. If the error ratio exceeds the permissible error ratio of 5 percent, a fine may be assessed according to s. 624.4211 for those claims payment violations which exceed the error ratio. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the office may fine a health insurer for claims payment violations of paragraphs (4)(e) and (5)(e) which create an uncontestable obligation to pay the claim. The office shall not fine insurers for violations which the office determines were due to circumstances beyond the insurer’s control.

(15) This section is applicable only to a major medical expense health insurance policy as defined in s. 627.643(2)(e) offered by a group or an individual health insurer licensed pursuant to chapter 624, including a preferred provider policy under s. 627.6471 and an exclusive provider organization under s. 627.6472 or a group or individual insurance contract that only provides direct payments to dentists for enumerated dental services.

(16) Notwithstanding paragraph (4)(b), where an electronic pharmacy claim is submitted to a pharmacy benefits manager acting on behalf of a health insurer, the pharmacy benefits manager shall, within 30 days of receipt of the claim, pay the claim or notify a provider or designee if a claim is denied or contested. Notice of the insurer’s action on the claim and payment of the claim is considered to be made on the date the notice or payment was mailed or electronically transferred.

(17) Notwithstanding paragraph (5)(a), effective November 1, 2003, where a nonelectronic pharmacy claim is submitted to a pharmacy benefits manager acting on behalf of a health insurer, the pharmacy benefits manager shall provide acknowledgment of receipt of the claim within 30 days after receipt of the claim to the provider or provide a provider within 30 days after receipt with electronic access to the status of a submitted claim.

1 (18) Notwithstanding the 30-month period provided in subsection (6), all claims for overpayment submitted to a provider licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter 460, chapter 461, chapter 466, or chapter 490 must be submitted to the provider within 12 months after the health insurer’s payment of the claim. A claim for overpayment may not be permitted beyond 12 months after the health insurer’s payment of a claim, except that claims for overpayment may be sought beyond that time from providers convicted of fraud pursuant to s. 817.234.

(19) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, all claims for underpayment from a provider licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter 460, chapter 461, or chapter 466 must be submitted to the insurer within 12 months after the health insurer’s payment of the claim. A claim for underpayment may not be permitted beyond 12 months after the health insurer’s payment of a claim.

(20)(a) A contract between a health insurer and a dentist licensed under chapter 466 for the provision of services to an insured may not specify credit card payment as the only acceptable method for payments from the health insurer to the dentist. (b) When a health insurer employs the method of claims payment to a dentist through electronic funds transfer, including, but not limited to, virtual credit card payment, the health insurer shall notify the dentist as provided in this paragraph and obtain the dentist’s consent before employing the electronic funds transfer. The dentist’s consent described in this paragraph applies to the dentist’s entire practice. For the purpose of this paragraph, the dentist’s consent, which may be given through e-mail, must bear the signature of the dentist. Such signature includes an electronic or digital signature if the form of signature is recognized as a valid signature under applicable federal law or state contract law or an act that demonstrates express consent, including, but not limited to, checking a box indicating consent. The insurer or dentist may not require that a dentist’s consent as described in this paragraph be made on a patient-by-patient basis. The notification provided by the health insurer to the dentist must include all of the following: 1. The fees, if any, associated with the electronic funds transfer. 2. The available methods of payment of claims by the health insurer, with clear instructions to the dentist on how to select an alternative payment method. (c) A health insurer that pays a claim to a dentist through automated clearinghouse transfer may not charge a fee solely to transmit the payment to the dentist unless the dentist has consented to the fee. (d) This subsection applies to contracts delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2025. (e) The office has all rights and powers to enforce this subsection as provided by s. 624.307. (f) The commission may adopt rules to implement this subsection.

(21)(a) A health insurer may not deny any claim subsequently submitted by a dentist licensed under chapter 466 for procedures specifically included in a prior authorization unless at least one of the following circumstances applies for each procedure denied: 1. Benefit limitations, such as annual maximums and frequency limitations not applicable at the time of the prior authorization, are reached subsequent to issuance of the prior authorization. 2. The documentation provided by the person submitting the claim fails to support the claim as originally authorized. 3. Subsequent to the issuance of the prior authorization, new procedures are provided to the patient or a change in the condition of the patient occurs such that the prior authorized procedure would no longer be considered medically necessary, based on the prevailing standard of care. 4. Subsequent to the issuance of the prior authorization, new procedures are provided to the patient or a change in the patient’s condition occurs such that the prior authorized procedure would at that time have required disapproval pursuant to the terms and conditions for coverage under the patient’s plan in effect at the time the prior authorization was issued. 5. The denial of the claim was due to one of the following: a. Another payor is responsible for payment. b. The dentist has already been paid for the procedures identified in the claim. c. The claim was submitted fraudulently, or the prior authorization was based in whole or material part on erroneous information provided to the health insurer by the dentist, patient, or other person not related to the insurer. d. The person receiving the procedure was not eligible to receive the procedure on the date of service. e. The services were provided during the grace period established under s. 627.608 or applicable federal regulations, and the dental insurer notified the provider that the patient was in the grace period when the provider requested eligibility or enrollment verification from the dental insurer, if such request was made. (b) This subsection applies to all contracts delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2025. (c) The office has all rights and powers to enforce this subsection as provided by s. 624.307. (d) The commission may adopt rules to implement this subsection.

History: s. 5, ch. 2002-389; s. 1144, ch. 2003-261; s. 3, ch. 2008-212; s. 1, ch. 2024-196; s. 1, ch. 2025-45.