North Carolina § 143-730 - Health Insurance Smart NC.

§ 143-730. Health Insurance Smart NC.

The Office of Managed Care Patient Assistance Program shall hereafter be known as the Health Insurance Smart NC. The Health Insurance Smart NC shall provide information and assistance to individuals enrolled in health care plans. Health Insurance Smart NC shall have the responsibility and duty to: Develop and distribute educational and informational materials for consumers, explaining their rights and responsibilities as health care plan enrollees. Answer inquiries posed by consumers. Advise health care plan enrollees about the utilization review process. Assist enrollees with the grievance, appeal, and external review procedures established by Article 50 of Chapter 58 of the General Statutes. Publicize the Health Insurance Smart NC. Compile data on the activities of the Office and evaluate such data to make recommendations as to the needed activities of the Office. Repealed by Session Laws 2013-199, s. 11, effective July 1, 2013. All health information in the possession of the Health Insurance Smart NC is confidential and is not a public record pursuant to G.S. 132-1 or any other applicable statute. Information relating to the past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition of an individual. Information relating to the provision of health care to an individual. Information relating to the past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care to an individual. Information, in any form, that identifies or may be used to identify an individual, that is created by, provided by, or received from any of the following: An individual or an individual's spouse, parent, legal guardian, or designated representative. A health care provider, health plan, employer, health care clearinghouse, or an entity doing business with these entities. For purposes of this section, "health information" means any of the following: History (2001-446, s. 1.6; 2002-159, s. 45; 2012-142, s. 15.3(b); 2013-199, s. 11.) Transfer of Managed Care Patient Assistance Program. - Session Laws 2012-142, s. 15.3(a), provides: "The Department of Justice, Health Insurance Consumer Protection Unit, and any portion of the Managed Care Patient Assistance Program managed by the Department of Justice is transferred to the Department of Insurance. This transfer shall have all of the elements of a Type I transfer, as described in G.S. 143A-6 ." Session Laws 2012-142, s. 1.2, provides: "This act shall be known as 'The Current Operations and Capital Improvements Appropriations Act of 2012.'" Session Laws 2012-142, s. 27.4, provides: "Except for statutory changes or other provisions that clearly indicate an intention to have effects beyond the 2012-2013 fiscal year, the textual provisions of this act apply only to funds appropriated for, and activities occurring during, the 2012-2013 fiscal year." Session Laws 2012-142, s. 27.7, is a severability clause. Editor's Note. - Session Laws 2001-446, s. 8 provides, in part: "Nothing in this act obligates the General Assembly to appropriate funds to implement this act." Session Laws 2001-446, s. 7, is a severability clause. Effect of Amendments. - Session Laws 2012-142, s. 15.3(b), effective July 1, 2012, rewrote subsection (a), which read: "The Office of Managed Care Patient Assistance Program is established in an existing State agency or department designated by the Governor. The Director of the Office of Managed Care Patient Assistance Program shall be appointed by the Governor." Session Laws 2013-199, s. 11, effective July 1, 2013, rewrote subsections (a) through (c); and deleted subsection (d); and substituted "Health Insurance Smart NC" for "Managed Care Patient Assistance Program" in subsection (e). Legal Periodicals. - For comment, "Patients' Bill of Rights; Legislative Cure-All or Prescription for Disaster?," see 81 N.C.L. Rev. 653 (2003). §§ 143-731 through 143-734: Reserved for future codification purposes.