How managed care plans are checked and accredited

(a) Beginning January 1, 1999, the commissioner shall contract with one or more certified vendors of the consumer assessment health plan survey to conduct a survey of all managed care plans actively offering managed care plans in this State to provide managed care plans an opportunity to learn whether any deficiencies exist or any improvements are required; provided that the information collected shall be kept confidential in the first year, and thereafter shall be available to the public. (b) The commissioner shall conduct a program that promotes public awareness and education about managed care plans so that consumers may make better or more informed choices when selecting a managed care plan. (c) Beginning January 1, 2000, unaccredited plans shall submit a plan to the commissioner to achieve national accreditation status within five years. After the first year of the five-year plan, each unaccredited plan shall also submit an annual progress report to the commissioner on the status of gaining national accreditation. The commissioner shall determine which national accreditation organization is appropriate for each type of plan. (d) Every mutual benefit society, every health maintenance organization, and every other entity offering or providing health benefits or services under the regulation of the commissioner, except an insurer licensed to offer accident and health or sickness insurance under article 10A of chapter 431, shall deposit with the commissioner a fee to provide for the actual costs of the survey and educational program to be determined by the commissioner on July 1 of each year, to be credited to the compliance resolution fund.