Bipartisan Consensus Managed Care Improvement Act of 2007

Bill: 110-hr-979
Sponsor: Rep. Norwood, Charles W. [R-GA-10]
Introduced: 2007-02-12 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Child health
Clinical trials
Communication in medicine
Conflict of interests
Consumer complaints
Consumer education
Consumer protection
Discrimination in insurance
Discrimination in medical care
Drugs
Emergency Management
Emergency medicine
Employee health benefits
Families
Federal preemption
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Grievance procedures
Gynecology
Health insurance
Health insurance continuation
Health maintenance organizations
Labor and Employment
Law
Licenses
Managed care
Maternal health services
Medical ethics
Medical personnel
Obstetrics
Patients' rights
Physician-patient privilege
Physicians
Prescription pricing
Women
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-12
text: 
Bipartisan Consensus Managed Care Improvement Act of 2007 - Sets forth standards for group health plans, including: (1) requiring plans to conduct utilization review activities in accordance with this Act; (2) establishing internal and external appeals processes; (3) requiring a grievance system; (4) requiring the plans to offer out-of network coverage; (5) prohibiting plans from requiring prior authorization for emergency services; (6) prohibiting prior authorization requirements for access to obstetrical or gynecological care; (7) requiring plans to provide for continuity of care during a transition period; (8) requiring plans to provide exceptions to formulary limitations; (9) prohibiting plans from restricting a health care professional from advising patients about health status or medical care; and (10) requiring prompt payment of claims.

Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code to require group health plans to comply with the patient protection requirements of this Act. Requires health insurance issuers offering individual health insurance coverage to comply with such requirements.

Sets forth effective dates and provisions regarding application of this Act to collective bargaining agreements.

Requires the Secretaries of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury to ensure coordination of the administration of this Act.

 Establishes the Health Care Panel to Devise a Uniform Explanation of Benefits to devise a single form for use by third-party health care payers for the remittance of claims to providers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-06-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-03-07
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2007-02-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2007-02-12
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2007-02-12
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2007-02-12
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2007-02-12
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2007-02-12
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-02-12
text: Introduced in House