Section 420-J:6 Utilization Review.
I. Each health carrier which does not contract with a utilization review entity shall establish written procedures for carrying out its utilization review processes and shall file such procedures with the commissioner on or before April 1 of each year. Such carriers shall conform to the standards of either the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission or the National Committee for Quality Assurances and are subject to all applicable rules issued pursuant to RSA 420-E:7.
II. The written procedures shall describe the categories of health care personnel that perform utilization review activities and whether or not such individuals are licensed in this state, and shall address at a minimum, second opinion programs; prehospital admission certification; preinpatient service eligibility certification; and concurrent hospital review to determine appropriate length of stay; as well as the process used by the health carrier to preserve confidentiality of medical information.
III. Notification of claim denial shall be made within the following time periods:
(a) The determination of a claim involving urgent care shall be made as soon as possible, taking into account the medical exigencies, but in no event later than 72 hours after receipt of the claim, unless the claimant or claimant's representative fails to provide sufficient information to determine whether, or to what extent, benefits are covered or payable. In the case of such failure, the licensee shall notify the claimant or claimant's representative within 24 hours of receipt of the claim and shall advise the claimant or claimant's representative of the specific information necessary to determine the claim. The claimant or claimant's representative shall be afforded a reasonable amount of time, taking into account the circumstances, but not less than 48 hours, to provide the specified information. Thereafter, notification of the benefit determination shall be made as soon as possible, but in no case later than 48 hours after the earlier of (1) the licensee's receipt of the specified additional information, or (2) the end of the period afforded the claimant or claimant's representative to provide the specified additional information.
(b) The determination of a claim involving urgent care and relating to the extension of an ongoing course of treatment and involving a question of medical necessity shall be made within 24 hours of receipt of the claim, provided that the claim is made at least 24 hours prior to the expiration of the prescribed period of time or course of treatment.
(c) The determination of all other claims for preservice benefits shall be made within a reasonable time period appropriate to the medical circumstances, but in no event more than 15 days after receipt of the claim. This period may be extended one time by the licensee for up to 15 days, provided that the licensee both determines that such an extension is necessary due to matters beyond the control of the licensee and notifies the claimant or claimant's representative, prior to the expiration of the initial 15-day period, of the circumstances requiring the extension of time and the date by which the licensee expects to render a decision. If such an extension is necessary due to a failure of the claimant or claimant's representative to provide sufficient information to determine whether, or to what extent, benefits are covered as payable, the notice of extension shall specifically describe the required additional information needed, and the claimant or claimant's representative shall be given at least 45 days from receipt of the notice within which to provide the specified information. Notification of the benefit determination following a request for additional information shall be made as soon as possible, but in no case later than 15 days after the earlier of (1) the licensee's receipt of the specified additional information, or (2) the end of the period afforded the claimant or claimant's representative to provide the specified additional information.
(d) The determination of a post service claim shall be made within 30 days of the date of filing. In the event the claimant fails to provide sufficient information to determine the claim, the carrier shall notify the claimant within 15 days as to what additional information is required to process the claim and the claimant shall be given at least 45 days to provide the required information. The 30-day period for claim determination shall be tolled until such time as the claimant submits the required information.
IV. All contracts with utilization review entities shall be available to the commissioner upon request.
V. Each health carrier that conducts utilization review shall employ a medical director who shall have responsibility for all utilization review techniques and methods and their administration and implementation. Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude a medical director from consulting with or relying on the advice of a physician licensed in this state or any other state. Nothing in this section shall be construed as creating any civil liability to the medical director for the medical director's alleged negligent performance of the aforementioned responsibilities for utilization review.
VI. The clinical review criteria used by the health carrier or its designee utilization review entity shall be:
(a) Developed with input from appropriate actively practicing practitioners in the health carrier's service area;
(b) Updated at least biennially and as new treatments, applications, and technologies emerge;
(c) Developed in accordance with the standards of national accreditation entities;
(d) Based on current, nationally accepted standards of medical practice; and
(e) If practicable, evidence-based.
Source. 1997, 345:1. 2000, 18:5, 15. 2001, 207:13. 2003, 276:11, eff. July 1, 2003.