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                                                      PRINTER'S NO. 2077

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


SENATE BILL

No. 1426 Session of 2008


        INTRODUCED BY CORMAN, ARMSTRONG, GORDNER, EARLL, LOGAN, MADIGAN,
           O'PAKE, PIPPY, RAFFERTY, STACK AND TOMLINSON, MAY 22, 2008

        REFERRED TO BANKING AND INSURANCE, MAY 22, 2008

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending Title 40 (Insurance) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
     2     Statutes, further providing for the definitions of "health
     3     service doctor" and "professional health services" and for
     4     rights of health service doctors.

     5     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     6  hereby enacts as follows:
     7     Section 1.  The definitions of "health service doctor" and
     8  "professional health services" in section 6302(a) of Title 40 of
     9  the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
    10  § 6302.  Definitions.
    11     (a)  General rule.--The following words and phrases when used
    12  in this chapter shall have, unless the context clearly indicates
    13  otherwise, the meanings given to them in this section:
    14     * * *
    15     "Health service doctor." [A doctor of dental surgery, doctor
    16  of medicine, doctor of optometry, doctor of osteopathy, doctor
    17  of podiatry, doctor of chiropractic, licensed physical
    18  therapist, certified registered nurse anesthetist, certified
    19  registered nurse practitioner, certified enterostomal therapy

     1  nurse, certified community health nurse, certified psychiatric
     2  mental health nurse, certified clinical nurse specialist,
     3  licensed psychologist, licensed speech-language pathologist,
     4  licensed audiologist or licensed teacher of persons who are
     5  hearing impaired.] A health care professional duly licensed or
     6  certified under a statute of this Commonwealth regulating a
     7  particular branch of health care practice.
     8     * * *
     9     "Professional health services." [Dental services, medical
    10  services, optometric services, osteopathic services, podiatry
    11  services, chiropractic services, physical therapy services,
    12  psychological services, speech-language pathology services,
    13  audiology services, services of teachers of persons who are
    14  hearing impaired, certified registered nurse services provided
    15  by a certified registered nurse at any time except when the
    16  certified registered nurse is acting as an employee of a health
    17  care facility or of an anesthesiology group or any one or more
    18  of them, provided any of the above-listed services are medically
    19  necessary.] Professional services provided by a duly licensed
    20  health service doctor, provided that such services are medically
    21  necessary.
    22     * * *
    23     Section 2.  Section 6324(a) of Title 40 is amended to read:
    24  § 6324.  Rights of health service doctors.
    25     (a)  Admission to plan.--Every health service doctor
    26  practicing within the area covered by any professional health
    27  service corporation shall have the right, on complying with such
    28  regulations as the corporation may make with the approval of the
    29  Department of Health, to register with such corporation for such
    30  general or special professional health services as he may be
    20080S1426B2077                  - 2 -     

     1  licensed to practice, within that area, but the corporation may,
     2  with the approval of the Department of Health, refuse to place
     3  the name of any health service doctor on its register. Any
     4  professional health service corporation may, with the approval
     5  of the Department of Health, remove from its register the name
     6  of any health service doctor after due notice and opportunity
     7  for hearing for cause satisfactory to the corporation. Nothing
     8  in this section shall be construed to limit the discretion of a
     9  professional health service corporation to determine the classes
    10  or kinds of services that will be covered under its contracts.
    11     * * *
    12     Section 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.












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