HOUSE BILL No. 6326

 

July 21, 2010, Introduced by Rep. Johnson and referred to the Committee on Health Policy.

 

     A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled

 

"Public health code,"

 

(MCL 333.1101 to 333.25211) by adding section 20154.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 20154. (1) Beginning July 1, 2011, a health care provider

 

that submits a health care claim to a carrier for covered health

 

care services, either directly or through a clearinghouse, billing

 

service, or any other vendor that contracts with a health care

 

provider to deliver health care claims to a carrier on the

 

provider's behalf, shall submit health care claims in electronic

 

data format to the carrier. Upon request, the director may exempt a


 

health care provider from the requirements of this section only if

 

the provider demonstrates hardship in complying with the

 

requirements due to the geographic location of the provider.

 

     (2) A violation of this section by a health professional is

 

considered a violation of article 15 and that health professional

 

is subject to administrative action under sections 16221(h) and

 

16226.

 

     (3) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "Carrier" means that term as defined in section 3701 of

 

the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL 500.3701. Carrier also

 

includes a third party administrator operating pursuant to the

 

third party administrator act, 1984 PA 218, MCL 550.901 to 550.960,

 

and a carrier providing services pursuant to an administrative

 

services only or cost-plus arrangement.

 

     (b) "Health care provider" means a health facility or agency

 

or a health professional, which facility, agency, or professional

 

provides medical or surgical treatment or care to human patients.

 

     (c) "Health professional" means an individual licensed,

 

registered, or otherwise authorized to engage in the practice of a

 

health profession under parts 161 to 182, except that health

 

professional does not include a dentist licensed, registered, or

 

otherwise authorized to engage in the practice of dentistry under

 

part 166.