2013 California Code
Insurance Code - INS
DIVISION 2. CLASSES OF INSURANCE
PART 2. LIFE AND DISABILITY INSURANCE
CHAPTER 1. The Contract
ARTICLE 1. General Provisions
10123.191

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, on and after January 1, 2013, a health insurer that provides prescription drug benefits shall utilize and accept only the prior authorization form developed pursuant to subdivision (c) when requiring prior authorization for prescription drug benefits.

(b) If a health insurer fails to utilize or accept the prior authorization form, or fails to respond within two business days upon receipt of a completed prior authorization request from a prescribing provider, pursuant to the submission of the prior authorization form developed as described in subdivision (c), the prior authorization request shall be deemed to have been granted. The requirements of this subdivision shall not apply to contracts entered into pursuant to Article 2.7 (commencing with Section 14087.3), Article 2.8 (commencing with Section 14087.5), Article 2.81 (commencing with Section 14087.96), or Article 2.91 (commencing with Section 14089) of Chapter 7 of, or Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 14200) of, Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(c) On or before July 1, 2012, the department and the Department of Managed Health Care shall jointly develop a uniform prior authorization form. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, on and after January 1, 2013, or six months after the form is developed, whichever is later, every prescribing provider shall use that uniform prior authorization form to request prior authorization for coverage of prescription drug benefits and every health insurer shall accept that form as sufficient to request prior authorization for prescription drug benefits.

(d) The prior authorization form developed pursuant to subdivision (c) shall meet the following criteria:

(1) The form shall not exceed two pages.

(2) The form shall be made electronically available by the department and the health insurer.

(3) The completed form may also be electronically submitted from the prescribing provider to the health insurer.

(4) The department and the Department of Managed Health Care shall develop the form with input from interested parties from at least one public meeting.

(5) The department and the Department of Managed Health Care, in development of the standardized form, shall take into consideration the following:

(A) Existing prior authorization forms established by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the State Department of Health Care Services.

(B) National standards pertaining to electronic prior authorization.

(e) For purposes of this section, a prescribing provider shall include a provider authorized to write a prescription, pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 4040 of the Business and Professions Code, to treat a medical condition of an insured.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 162, Sec. 111. Effective January 1, 2013.)