Section 10279 Of Article 1. Scope Of Chapter And Definitions From California Insurance Code >> Division 2. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 1.
10279
. (a) Every disability insurer that provides group or
individual policies of disability, or both, that provides, operates,
or contracts for, telephone medical advice services to its insureds
shall do all of the following:
(1) Ensure that the in-state or out-of-state telephone medical
advice service is registered pursuant to Chapter 15 (commencing with
Section 4999) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.
(2) Ensure that the staff providing telephone medical advice
services for the in-state or out-of-state telephone medical advice
service hold a valid California license as a registered nurse or a
valid license in the state within which they provide telephone
medical advice services as a physician and surgeon or physician
assistant and are operating consistent with the laws governing their
respective scopes of practice.
(3) Ensure that a physician and surgeon is available on an on-call
basis at all times the service is advertised to be available to
enrollees and subscribers.
(4) Ensure that the in-state or out-of-state telephone medical
advice service designates an agent for service of process in
California and files this designation with the commissioner.
(5) Require that the in-state or out-of-state telephone medical
advice service makes and maintains records for a period of five years
after the telephone medical advice services are provided, including,
but not limited to, oral or written transcripts of all medical
advice conversations with the disability insurer's insureds in
California and copies of all complaints. If the records of telephone
medical advice services are kept out of state, the insurer shall,
upon the request of the director, provide the records to the director
within 10 days of the request.
(6) Ensure that the telephone medical advice services are provided
consistent with good professional practice.
(b) The commissioner shall forward to the Department of Consumer
Affairs, within 30 days of the end of each calendar quarter, data
regarding complaints filed with the department concerning telephone
medical advice services.