§ 20-2505 — Application for certification

A utilization review agent applying for a certificate shall submit the following information to the department:

1. A signed and notarized application on a form prescribed by the director.

2. A utilization review plan that includes a summary description of review guidelines, protocols and procedures, standards and criteria to be used in evaluating inpatient hospital care, inpatient medical care, outpatient surgical care and any medical, surgical and health care services that may be covered by a health care insurer and the provisions by which patients, providers or hospitals may seek reconsideration or appeal of decisions made by the utilization review agent.

3. The professional qualifications of the personnel either employed or under contract to perform the utilization review. Personnel conducting utilization review shall have current licenses that are in good standing and without restrictions from a state health care professional licensing agency in the United States and may be a member of a profession that practices inpatient hospital or outpatient surgical care.

4. A description of the policies and procedures that ensure that a representative of the utilization review agent is available to receive and send the notice and acknowledgments prescribed in article 2 of this chapter and is reasonably accessible to patients and providers in this state and the department by a toll free telephone line or by acceptance of long-distance collect calls for forty hours each week during normal business hours.

5. A description of the policies and procedures that ensure that the utilization review agent will follow applicable state and federal laws to protect the confidentiality of individual medical records.

6. A copy of the materials or a description of the procedure designed to inform patients and providers, as appropriate, of the requirements of the utilization review plan.