SECOND REGULAR SESSION

SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE BILL NO. 754

89TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY


Reported from the Committee on Public Health and Welfare, February 10, 1998, with recommendation that the Senate Committee Substitute do pass.

TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.

S2566.04C


AN ACT

To repeal section 334.010, RSMo 1994, and to enact in lieu thereof three new sections relating to the provision of certain medical services.


Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:

Section A.  Section 334.010, RSMo 1994, is repealed and three new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 334.010, 354.207 and 354.546, to read as follows:

334.010.  1.  It shall be unlawful for any person not now a registered physician within the meaning of the law to practice medicine or surgery in any of its departments, or to profess to cure and attempt to treat the sick and others afflicted with bodily or mental infirmities, or engage in the practice of midwifery in this state, except as herein provided.

2.  As used in this section, "rural area" refers to a county with a population density of no greater than one hundred persons per square mile, as defined by the latest United States census.

3.  It shall be unlawful for any registered physician to perform more than three major surgeries in a single twenty-four hour period.  Physicians in rural areas of the state are allowed to perform more than three surgeries in a single twenty-four hour period if it is emergency surgery that is required and no other qualified physician is available.

354.207.  1.  A health services corporation shall allow enrollees to seek a second medical opinion or consultation from a second physician at no additional cost to the enrollee beyond what the enrollee would otherwise pay for an initial medical opinion or consultation from that second physician.

2.  If an enrollee chooses to seek a second medical opinion, and if the health services corporation does not employ or contract with another physician with the expertise necessary to provide a second medical opinion, then the health services corporation shall arrange for a referral to another physician with the necessary expertise to provide a second opinion or consultation and ensure that the enrollee obtains the covered benefit at no greater cost to the enrollee than if the benefit were obtained from participating physicians.

354.546.  1.  A health maintenance organization shall allow enrollees to seek a second medical opinion or consultation from the health maintenance organization's choice of other primary care physicians and specialty physicians at no additional cost to the enrollee beyond what the enrollee would otherwise pay for an initial medical opinion or consultation.

2.  If an enrollee chooses to seek a second medical opinion, and if the health maintenance organization does not employ or contract with another physician with the expertise necessary to provide a second medical opinion, then the health maintenance organization shall arrange for a referral to a physician with the necessary expertise to provide a second opinion or consultation and ensure that the enrollee obtains the covered benefit at no greater cost to the enrollee than if the benefit were obtained from participating physicians.




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