Patient Choice Health Care Provider

The bill prohibits a health benefit plan or third-party administrator plan covering services by licensed chiropractors, optometrists, or pharmacists (providers) from:

• Limiting or restricting a covered person's ability to select a provider of the covered person's choice if certain conditions are met;
• Imposing a copayment, fee, or other cost-sharing requirement for selecting a provider of the covered person's choosing;
• Imposing other conditions on a covered person or provider that limit or restrict a covered person's ability to use a pharmacy of the covered person's choosing; or
• Denying a provider the right to participate in any of its network contracts in this state or as a contracting provider in this state, so long as the provider agrees to specified conditions.
  (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)