New York Financial Services Law Section 605 - Dispute resolution for emergency services.

605. Dispute resolution for emergency services. (a) Emergency services for an insured. (1) When a health care plan receives a bill for emergency services from a non-participating physician, the health care plan shall pay an amount that it determines is reasonable for the emergency services rendered by the non-participating physician, in accordance with section three thousand two hundred twenty-four-a of the insurance law, except for the insured's co-payment, coinsurance or deductible, if any, and shall ensure that the insured shall incur no greater out-of-pocket costs for the emergency services than the insured would have incurred with a participating physician pursuant to subsection (c) of section three thousand two hundred forty-one of the insurance law.

(2) A non-participating physician or a health care plan may submit a dispute regarding a fee or payment for emergency services for review to an independent dispute resolution entity.

(3) The independent dispute resolution entity shall make a determination within thirty days of receipt of the dispute for review.

(4) In determining a reasonable fee for the services rendered, an independent dispute resolution entity shall select either the health care plan's payment or the non-participating physician's fee. The independent dispute resolution entity shall determine which amount to select based upon the conditions and factors set forth in section six hundred four of this article. If an independent dispute resolution entity determines, based on the health care plan's payment and the non-participating physician's fee, that a settlement between the health care plan and non-participating physician is reasonably likely, or that both the health care plan's payment and the non-participating physician's fee represent unreasonable extremes, then the independent dispute resolution entity may direct both parties to attempt a good faith negotiation for settlement. The health care plan and non-participating physician may be granted up to ten business days for this negotiation, which shall run concurrently with the thirty day period for dispute resolution.

(b) Emergency services for a patient that is not an insured. (1) A patient that is not an insured or the patient's physician may submit a dispute regarding a fee for emergency services for review to an independent dispute resolution entity upon approval of the superintendent.

(2) An independent dispute resolution entity shall determine a reasonable fee for the services based upon the same conditions and factors set forth in section six hundred four of this article.

(3) A patient that is not an insured shall not be required to pay the physician's fee in order to be eligible to submit the dispute for review to an independent dispute resolution entity.

(c) The determination of an independent dispute resolution entity shall be binding on the health care plan, physician and patient, and shall be admissible in any court proceeding between the health care plan, physician or patient, or in any administrative proceeding between this state and the physician.


Last modified: February 3, 2019