Section 45-18-15. Rules and regulations for administration of part; board to recommend to General Assembly schedule of maximum fees for hospitals and practitioners

   (a) The board shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be required for the effective administration of this part. Such rules and regulations shall include, but not be limited to, rules and regulations establishing the conditions under which employees who originally rejected coverage may acquire coverage at a later date. The commissioner of community health, as executive officer of the board, shall employ such personnel as may be needed to carry out this part and such employees shall be employees of the Department of Community Health. The pro rata share of the costs of operating the Department of Community Health in the manner prescribed by law shall be a part of the administrative costs of the employees' health insurance plan.

(b) The board shall investigate fees of hospitals, pharmacists, and practitioners of the healing arts and present recommendations to the General Assembly by not later than January 15, 1991, for a schedule of maximum fees for hospitals and practitioners of the healing arts. The recommended fees for hospitals shall be determined based upon a statistical analysis of the peer groups adjusted for the intensity of the case mix for hospitals of same licensure classification or subclassification (e.g., general, pediatric, psychiatric, rehabilitation, etc.) and of similar services in the same geographic area. The recommended fee schedule shall not be at the average of the usual and customary charges if the board determines that the average represents an unreasonably high or low charge.

(c) The recommended fees for practitioners of the healing arts and pharmacists shall be determined based upon a statistical analysis of the peer groups for such practitioners and pharmacists of the same licensure classification (e.g., internists, family practitioners, cardiologists, neurosurgeons, etc.) and of similar services in the same geographic area. The recommended fee schedule shall not be at the average of the usual and customary charges if the board determines that the average represents an unreasonably high or low charge.

(d) The recommendations shall include an analysis of all hospitals, pharmacists, and practitioners accepting assignment of benefits for such services not to exceed the amount authorized by the fee schedule. The board shall publish in print or electronically a list of practitioners that accept assignment of benefits under the plan.

(e) The recommendations shall include an analysis of the impact of practitioners agreeing to provide medical or surgical services at a reduced rate for members of the health insurance plan and of pharmacists and hospitals agreeing to provide hospital services, medical equipment, or pharmaceuticals at a reduced rate for members of the health insurance plan. The board shall publish in print or electronically a list of practitioners of the healing arts, pharmacists, and hospitals that offer a reduced rate for members and the rate at which those services, equipment, or pharmaceuticals have been offered.

Ga. L. 1961, p. 147, § 12; Ga. L. 1962, p. 51, § 4; Ga. L. 1964, p. 196, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1924, § 3; Ga. L. 1999, p. 296, § 23; Ga. L. 2010, p. 838, § 10/SB 388; Ga. L. 2010, p. 878, § 45/HB 1387.