§ 36-2906 — Qualified plan health services contracts; proposals; administration

Arizona § 36-2906

• Jurisdiction: Arizona
• Title 36: Arizona Revised Statutes
• Ch. 29: ARIZONA HEALTH CARE COST CONTAINMENT SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION
• Art. 1: Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System

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A. The administration shall:

1. Supervise the administrator.

2. Review the proposals.

3. Award contracts.

B. The director shall prepare and issue a request for proposal, including a proposed contract format, in each of the counties of this state, at least once every five years, to qualified group disability insurers, hospital and medical service corporations, health care services organizations and any other qualified public or private persons, including county-owned and operated health care facilities. The contracts shall specify the administrative requirements, the delivery of medically necessary services and the subcontracting requirements.

C. The director shall adopt rules regarding the request for proposal process that provide:

1. For definition of proposals in the following categories subject to the following conditions:

(a) Inpatient hospital services.

(b) Outpatient services, including emergency dental care, and early and periodic health screening and diagnostic services for children.

(c) Pharmacy services.

(d) Laboratory, x-ray and related diagnostic medical services and appliances.

2. Allowance for the adjustment of such categories by expansion, deletion, segregation or combination in order to secure the most financially advantageous proposals for the system.

3. An allowance for limitations on the number of high risk persons that must be included in any proposal.

4. For analysis of the proposals for each geographic service area as defined by the director to ensure the provision of health and medical services that are required to be provided throughout the geographic service area pursuant to section 36-2907.

5. For the submittal of proposals by a group disability insurer, a hospital and medical service corporation, a health care services organization or any other qualified public or private person intending to submit a proposal pursuant to this section. Each qualified proposal shall be entered with separate categories for the distinct groups of persons to be covered by the proposed contracts, as set forth in the request for proposal.

6. For the procurement of reinsurance for expenses incurred by any contractor or member or the system in providing services in excess of amounts specified by the director in any contract year. The director shall adopt rules to provide that the administrator may specify guidelines on a case by case basis for the types of care and services that may be provided to a person whose care is covered by reinsurance. The rules shall provide that if a contractor does not follow specified guidelines for care or services and if the care or services could be provided pursuant to the guidelines at a lower cost the contractor is entitled to reimbursement as if the care or services specified in the guidelines had been provided.

7. For the awarding of contracts to contractors with qualified proposals determined to be the most advantageous to the state for each of the counties in this state. A contract may be awarded that provides services only to persons defined as eligible pursuant to section 36-2901, paragraph 6, subdivision (b), (c), (d) or (e). The director may provide by rule a second round competitive proposal procedure for the director to request voluntary price reduction of proposals from only those that have been tentatively selected for award, before the final award or rejection of proposals.

8. For the requirement that any proposal in a geographic service area provide for the full range of system covered services.

9. For the option of the administration to waive the requirement in any request for proposal or in any contract awarded pursuant to a request for proposal for a subcontract with a hospital for good cause in a county or area including but not limited to situations when such hospital is the only hospital in the health service area. In any situation where the subcontract requirement is waived, no hospital may refuse to treat members of the system admitted by primary care physicians or primary care practitioners with hospital privileges in that hospital. In the absence of a subcontract, the reimbursement level shall be at the levels specified in section 36-2904, subsection H or I.

D. Reinsurance may be obtained against expenses in excess of a specified amount on behalf of any individual for system covered emergency or inpatient services either through the purchase of a reinsurance policy or through a system self-insurance program as determined by the director. Reinsurance, subject to the approval of the director, may be obtained against expenses in excess of a specified amount on behalf of any individual for outpatient services either through the purchase of a reinsurance policy or through a system self-insurance program as determined by the director.

E. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, the administration may procure, provide or coordinate system covered services by interagency agreement with authorized agencies of this state or with a federal agency for distinct groups of eligible persons, including persons eligible for children's rehabilitative services through the department of economic security and persons eligible for comprehensive medical and dental program services through the department of child safety.

F. Contracts shall be awarded as otherwise provided by law, except that in no event may a contract be awarded to any respondent that will cause the system to lose any federal monies to which it is otherwise entitled.

G. After contracts are awarded pursuant to this section, the director may negotiate with any successful proposal respondent for the expansion or contraction of services or service areas if there are unnecessary gaps or duplications in services or service areas.