33-31-221. Powers of health maintenance organizations. (1) The powers of a health maintenance organization include but are not limited to the following:
(a) the purchase, lease, construction, renovation, operation, or maintenance of a hospital, a medical facility, or both, its ancillary equipment, and such property as may reasonably be required for its principal office or for such purposes as may be necessary in the transaction of the business of the organization;
(b) the making of loans to a medical group under contract with it in furtherance of its program or the making of loans to a corporation under its control for the purpose of acquiring or constructing a medical facility or hospital or in furtherance of a program providing health care services to enrollees;
(c) the furnishing of health care services through a provider who is under contract with or employed by the health maintenance organization;
(d) the contracting with a person for the performance on its behalf of certain functions, such as marketing, enrollment, and administration;
(e) the contracting with an insurer authorized to transact insurance in this state, or with a health service corporation authorized to do business in this state, for the provision of insurance, indemnity, or reimbursement against the cost of health care services provided by the health maintenance organization; and
(f) the offering of other health care services in addition to basic health care services.
(2) A health maintenance organization shall file notice, with adequate supporting information, with the commissioner before exercising a power granted in subsection (1)(a), (1)(b), or (1)(d). The commissioner may, after notice and hearing, within 60 days disapprove the exercise of a power under subsection (1)(a), (1)(b), or (1)(d) only if, in his opinion, it would substantially and adversely affect the financial soundness of the health maintenance organization and endanger its ability to meet its obligations. The commissioner may make reasonable rules exempting from the filing requirement of this subsection those activities having a de minimis effect. The commissioner may exempt certain contracts from the filing requirement whenever exercise of the authority granted in this section would have little or no effect on the health maintenance organization's financial condition and ability to meet obligations.
(3) Nothing in this section exempts the activities of a health maintenance organization from any applicable certificate of need requirements under Title 50, chapter 5, parts 1 and 3.
History: En. Sec. 5, Ch. 457, L. 1987.