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Utah Code § 31A-22-658

Health care provider behavioral health treatment -- Single case agreement

Enacted by Chapter 449, 2023 General Session

(1) As used in this section:

(a) "Mental health condition" means the same as that term is defined in Section 31A-22-649.5.

(b) "Mental health provider" means:

(i) a mental health therapist, as defined in Section 58-60-102; or

(ii) an individual practicing within the scope of practice described in Title 58, Chapter 60, Part 5, Substance Use Disorder Counselor Act.

(c) "Mental health treatment" means treatment for a mental health condition.

(2)

(a) Except as provided in Subsection (3), and subject to Subsections (4) and (5), beginning January 1, 2024, a health benefit plan that offers coverage for mental health treatment shall, upon request of a health benefit plan enrollee who is employed as a health care provider, offer a single case agreement that allows the enrollee to receive covered mental health treatment from an out-of-network mental health provider selected by the enrollee.

(b) A single case agreement described in Subsection (2)(a) shall:

(i) reimburse the out-of-network mental health provider for the covered mental health treatment at the equivalent out-of-network rate set by the health benefit plan, subject to the member cost-sharing requirements imposed by the health benefit plan;

(ii) include the same coinsurance, copayments, and deductibles that would be applied for the mental health treatment if the mental health treatment was provided by a mental health provider who is a network provider;

(iii) include the terms that a network provider is subject to under the health benefit plan; and

(iv) define the length and scope of the single case agreement.

(3)

(a) Subsection (2) does not apply if:

(i)

(A) the health benefit plan has network providers for the covered mental health treatment; and

(B) the network providers described in Subsection (3)(a)(i) do not provide the covered mental health treatment in the location where the enrollee works as a health care provider; or

(ii) the enrollee selects a mental health provider for the covered mental health treatment who the health benefit plan knows or reasonably suspects has committed a fraudulent insurance act as described in Section 31A-31-103.

(b) For purposes of this Subsection (3), the location where an enrollee works as a health care provider includes all locations or facilities of the enrollee's employer.

(4) Mental health treatment provided pursuant to a single case agreement under this section:

(a) shall be:

(i) within the out-of-network mental health provider's scope of practice; and

(ii) a service that is otherwise covered under the enrollee's health benefit plan; and

(b) may not be experimental.

(5)

(a) An enrollee shall request a single case agreement under Subsection (2) prior to receiving mental health treatment from an out-of-network mental health provider.

(b) With a request for a single case agreement under Subsection (2), an enrollee shall provide information about where the enrollee works as a health care provider sufficient for the health benefit plan to determine whether the circumstances described in Subsection (3)(a)(i) exist.

Official source: Utah State Legislature. Reproduced from public-domain Utah statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.