The Surgical Patient Choice Task Force is tasked with making recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor regarding ways to improve patient access to rural hospitals, specialty hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers by:
1. Studying the issue of the exclusion of hospitals including specialty hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers from health insurance plans when those facilities are willing to meet the terms of a contract set forth and offered to similar providers by health insurance companies;
2. Determining whether a need exists to expand opportunities for hospitals to participate in health insurance provider networks;
3. Determining if patients have the ability to choose among and between all geographically relevant providers which meet requirements set by insurance companies;
4. Determining if providers as defined in this act who are not allowed to participate in provider networks are denied participation based on issues related to patient safety, sound economic policies, and the practice of medicine;
5. Making recommendations as to the role of the State Insurance Commission and the State Department of Health in establishing a system of appeal when a hospital, specialty hospital, or ambulatory surgical center, is denied participation in a provider network; and
6. Identifying other issues deemed appropriate by the Task Force.