October 1997 Bulletin

States provide managed care options:
ban gag clauses, give access to specialists

State legislatures have been active in providing more options for enrollees of managed care plans. In 1997, 18 states approved bans on gag clauses, bringing the total to 38 states; nine states provided direct access to specialists, increasing the total to 33 states; and five states required point-of-service options, putting the total at 10 states. The following table indicates when the states passed the laws. Note: * denotes laws approved before 1996.

	Ban gag clause	Direct access	Point-of-service
Alabama		1996
Alaska
Arizona	1997
Arkansas	1997	1997a
California	1996	*
Colorado	1996	1996
Connecticut	1997	*
District of Columbia
Delaware	1996
Florida	1997	1997 b
Georgia	1996	1996 c	1996
Hawaii
Idaho	1997	1997	1997
Iowa			1997
Illinois		1996
Indiana	1996	1996
Kansas	1997
Kentucky		1996
Louisiana	1997	*
Maine	1996	1996 d
Maryland	1996	*	1996
Massachusetts	1996
Michigan	1996
Minnesota	1997	1997	1996
Missouri	1997	1997
Mississippi		*
Montana	1997	1997	1997
Nebraska	1997	1996
Nevada	1997
New Hampshire	1996
New Jersey	1997	1997
New Mexico	1997	1997
New York	1996	*	*
North Carolina	1996	*
North Dakota	1997
Ohio
Oklahoma	1997		1997
Oregon		*	*
Pennsylvania	1996
Rhode Island	1996
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee	1996
Texas	1996	1997	1997
Utah	1997	*
Vermont	1996
Virginia	1996	1996
Washington	1996	*
W. Virginia		1996
Wisconsin	*
Wyoming	1997

a, Arkansas approved direct access to OB/GYNs in 1997, to dermatologists in 1995;
b, Florida approved direct access to dermatologists in 1997, to OB/GYNs in 1995;
c, Georgia approved direct access to OB/GYNs in 1996, to dermatologists in 1995;
d, Maine approved direct access to OB/GYNs in 1996, to chiropractors in1995.

Source: State Health Notes, National Conference of State Legislatures