House Bill 550

AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT PAYMENT AND REIMBURSEMENT FROM ANY HEALTH INSURANCE POLICY OR EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN TO THE STATE'S ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTER, INCLUDING ANY HOSPITALS, PROVIDERS, CLINICS, AND SATELLITE LOCATIONS THAT IT OWNS OR OPERATES, SHALL BE AT LEAST EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN PAYMENT AND REIMBURSEMENT TO ANY OTHER IN-STATE CONTRACTING ENTITY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) Any health insurance policy or employee benefit plan which is delivered, renewed, issued for delivery, or otherwise contracted for in this state:

(a) Shall not preclude or penalize any member from utilizing services at the state academic medical center, including any hospitals, providers, clinics, and satellite locations that it owns or operates, regardless of contract status with the state academic medical center and any hospitals, providers, clinics, and satellite locations that it owns or operates; and

(b) Shall reimburse the state academic medical center, including any hospitals, providers, clinics, and satellite locations that it owns or operates, at a rate equal to or greater than the highest amount reimbursed to any other in-state contracting entity.

(2) Any covered services performed at the state academic medical center, including any hospitals, providers, clinics, and satellite locations that it owns or operates, that are not performed at any other in-state contracting entity, shall be reimbursed at a rate equal to or greater than the highest amount reimbursed to any out-of-state contracting entity within the state academic medical center's region.

(3) Any covered services performed at the state academic medical center, including any hospitals, providers, clinics, and satellite locations that it owns or operates, that are not performed at any other in-state contracting entity or any out-of-state contracting entity within the state academic medical center's region, shall be reimbursed at a rate equal to or greater than the highest amount reimbursed to any national out-of-state contracting entity.

(4) For purposes of this section, the term "state's academic medical center's region" shall be defined as facilities in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2014.