2023 Oklahoma Statutes › Title 56. Poor Persons › §56-4002.6. Requirements for prior authorizations.

A. A contracted entity shall meet all requirements established by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority pertaining to prior authorizations. The Authority shall establish requirements that ensure timely determinations by contracted entities when prior authorizations are required including expedited review in urgent and emergent cases that at a minimum meet the criteria of this section.
B. A contracted entity shall make a determination on a request for an authorization of the transfer of a hospital inpatient to a post-acute care or long-term acute care facility within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of the request.
C. A contracted entity shall make a determination on a request for any member who is not hospitalized at the time of the request within seventy-two (72) hours of receipt of the request; provided, that if the request does not include sufficient or adequate documentation, the review and determination shall occur within a time frame and in accordance with a process established by the Authority. The process established by the Authority pursuant to this subsection shall include a time frame of at least forty-eight (48) hours within which a provider may submit the necessary documentation.
D. A contracted entity shall make a determination on a request for services for a hospitalized member including, but not limited to, acute care inpatient services or equipment necessary to discharge the member from an inpatient facility within one (1) business day of receipt of the request.
E. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection C of this section, a contracted entity shall make a determination on a request as expeditiously as necessary and, in any event, within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of the request for service if adhering to the provisions of subsection C or D of this section could jeopardize the member’s life, health or ability to attain, maintain or regain maximum function. In the event of a medically emergent matter, the contracted entity shall not impose limitations on providers in coordination of post-emergent stabilization health care including pre-certification or prior authorization.
F. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a contracted entity shall make a determination on a request for inpatient behavioral health services within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of the request.
G. A contracted entity shall make a determination on a request for covered prescription drugs that are required to be prior authorized by the Authority within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of the request. The contracted entity shall not require prior authorization on any covered prescription drug for which the Authority does not require prior authorization.
H. A contracted entity shall make a determination on a request for coverage of biomarker testing in accordance with Section 3 of this act.
I. Upon issuance of an adverse determination on a prior authorization request under subsection B of this section, the contracted entity shall provide the requesting provider, within seventy-two (72) hours of receipt of such issuance, with reasonable opportunity to participate in a peer-to-peer review process with a provider who practices in the same specialty, but not necessarily the same sub-specialty, and who has experience treating the same population as the patient on whose behalf the request is submitted; provided, however, if the requesting provider determines the services to be clinically urgent, the contracted entity shall provide such opportunity within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of such issuance. Services not covered under the state Medicaid program for the particular patient shall not be subject to peer-to-peer review.
J. The Authority shall ensure that a provider offers to provide to a member in a timely manner services authorized by a contracted entity.
K. The Authority shall establish requirements for both internal and external reviews and appeals of adverse determinations on prior authorization requests or claims that, at a minimum:
1. Require contracted entities to provide a detailed explanation of denials to Medicaid providers and members;
2. Require contracted entities to provide a prompt opportunity for peer-to-peer conversations with licensed clinical staff of the same or similar specialty which shall include, but not be limited to, Oklahoma-licensed clinical staff upon adverse determination; and
3. Establish uniform rules for Medicaid provider or member appeals across all contracted entities.
Added by Laws 2021, c. 542, § 6, eff. Sept. 1, 2021. Amended by Laws 2022, c. 395, § 10, eff. July 1, 2022; Laws 2023, c. 331, § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 2024.