§ 56-7-2349 — Patients' right to truth - Alternative medical care, treatments, programs, or pharmaceuticals

(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Patients' Right to Truth Act of 1996." (b) Each managed care organization, health maintenance organization or preferred provider organization, referred to as the "plan" in this section, shall not in any way restrict medical personnel regarding informing patients of alternative medical care, treatments, programs or pharmaceuticals that may be available to the enrollee or participant, regardless of whether covered by the plan or not. (c) A violation of this section is punishable by payment of a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each violation, but not to exceed an aggregate penalty of ten thousand dollars ($10,000), unless the person knew or reasonably should have known the person was in violation of this section, in which case the penalty is not more than five thousand ($5,000) for each violation, but not to exceed an aggregate penalty of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) in any six-month period.

Legislative History

Acts 1996, ch. 874, § 1.