50-6-320. Private air ambulance service -- findings -- exemptions from insurance code. (1) The legislature finds that there is a need to assist Montana consumers with regard to the availability and affordability of air ambulance service.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (3), a private air ambulance service that solicits membership subscriptions, accepts membership applications, charges membership fees, and provides air ambulance services to subscription members and designated members of their households is not an insurer as defined in 33-1-201, a health carrier as defined in 33-36-103, a health service corporation as defined in 33-30-101, or a health maintenance organization as defined in 33-31-102 if the private air ambulance service:

(a) is licensed in accordance with 50-6-306;

(b) has been in operation in Montana for at least 2 years; and

(c) has submitted evidence of its compliance with this section to the department.

(3) The provisions of Title 33 prescribed in 33-2-2212 apply to a private air ambulance service that offers a membership program covering out-of-pocket expenses in excess of deductibles, copays, and coinsurance incurred for out-of-network services using the private air ambulance service or to private air ambulance services that are out-of-network and with which the membership program has reciprocity.

(4) A private air ambulance service membership program must have reciprocity agreements with all other air ambulance service providers in Montana with air ambulance service membership programs to ensure maximum geographic coverage within the state for the subscribers to the program.

History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 237, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 210, L. 2017.