(a)  A health care service plan shall not deny payment of a claim on the basis that the plan, medical group, independent practice association, or other contracting entity did not provide authorization for health care services that were provided in a licensed acute care hospital and that were related to services that were previously authorized, if all of the following conditions are met:

(1)  It was medically necessary to provide the services at the time.

(2)  The services were provided after the plan’s normal business hours.

(3)  The plan does not maintain a system that provides for the availability of a plan representative or an alternative means of contact through an electronic system, including voicemail or electronic mail, whereby the plan can respond to a request for authorization within 30 minutes of the time that a request was made.

(b)  This section shall not apply to investigational or experimental therapies, or other noncovered services.

(Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 827, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2001.)