59A-57A-3: Emergency care; reimbursement; limitation on charges.

A. A health insurance carrier shall reimburse a nonparticipating provider for emergency care necessary to evaluate and stabilize a covered person if a prudent layperson would reasonably believe that emergency care is necessary, regardless of eventual diagnosis.

B. A health insurance carrier shall not require that prior authorization for emergency care be obtained by, or on behalf of, a covered person prior to the point of stabilization of that covered person if a prudent layperson would reasonably believe that the covered person requires emergency care.

C. A health insurance carrier may impose a cost-sharing or limitation of benefits requirement for emergency care performed by a nonparticipating provider only to the same extent that the copayment, co-insurance or limitation of benefits requirement applies for participating providers and is documented in the policy.

D. A health insurance carrier may require an emergency care provider to notify a health insurance carrier of a covered person's admission to the hospital within a reasonable time period after the covered person has been stabilized.