(a)(1) The Commissioner of the Department of Insurance shall prescribe a standard health insurance claim form to be used by all hospitals. The forms shall be prescribed in a format which allows for the use of generally accepted diagnosis and treatment coding systems by providers of health care and payors. The standard form shall be accepted and used by all insurers doing business in the State of Alabama and by all state agencies which pay providers of health care for hospital services.

(2) The Commissioner of the Department of Insurance shall also prescribe a format for all health insurance claims transmitted or submitted for payment by electronic or electro-mechanical means. Such a format shall be used by all insurers doing business in the State of Alabama and by all state agencies which pay providers of health care for hospital services.

(b) An advisory committee of five persons, two appointed by the Alabama Hospital Association, two by the Health Insurance Association of America, and one by an Alabama nonprofit corporation which markets health insurance, shall advise the commissioner on an acceptable standard health insurance claim form and an electronic or electro-mechanical claims form no later than 60 days prior to January 1, 1982. If changes in the forms need to be made at any future time, the Commissioner of the Department of Insurance shall inform the advisory committee and the committee shall make recommendations as to the changes.

(c) All insurers doing business in Alabama and all state agencies shall accept, for services from physicians licensed to practice medicine, the Uniform Health Insurance Claim Form approved by the Council on Medical Service of the American Medical Association. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit an insurer or state agency from accepting any other health insurance claim form for services provided by a physician licensed to practice medicine.

(d) Every third party prescription program serving patients in Alabama shall utilize the Universal Pharmacy Billing Claim Form or format used by pharmacists billing for their services. Information required on the universal prescription claim form, either hard copy or electronic, shall be in compliance with the National Council on Pharmaceutical Drug Plan standards. If a provider, due to the location of the pharmacy, cannot comply with electronic claims submission requirements, then the prescription program shall allow the pharmacy to submit claims via hard copy. Pharmacy providers and recipients shall be given at least 45 days advance notice regarding changes in procedures and benefits.

(e) All insurers doing business in Alabama and all state agencies shall accept for services from dentists licensed to practice dentistry, the Uniform Dental Claim Form approved by the Council on Dental Care Programs of the American Dental Association. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit an insurer or state agency from accepting any other dental insurance claim form for services provided by a dentist licensed to practice dentistry.

(f) The foregoing provisions shall not apply to the Alabama Medicaid Agency.