A. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the provisions of the Patient Protection Act apply to the medicaid program operation in the state. A managed health care plan offered through the medicaid program shall grant enrollees and providers the same rights and protections as are granted to enrollees and providers in any other managed health care plan subject to the provisions of the Patient Protection Act.

B. Nothing in the Patient Protection Act shall be construed to limit the authority of the human services department [health care authority department] to administer the medicaid program, as required by law. Consistent with applicable state and federal law, the human services department [health care authority department] shall have sole authority to determine, establish and enforce medicaid eligibility criteria, the scope, definitions and limitations of medicaid benefits and the minimum qualifications or standards for medicaid service providers.

C. Medicaid recipients and applicants retain their right to appeal decisions adversely affecting their medicaid benefits to the human services department [health care authority department], pursuant to the Public Assistance Appeals Act N.M. Stat. Ann. § 27-3-1 to 27-3-5. Notwithstanding other provisions of the Patient Protection Act, a medicaid recipient or applicant who files an appeal to the human services department [health care authority department] pursuant to the Public Assistance Appeals Act may not file an appeal on the same issue to the superintendent pursuant to the Patient Protection Act, unless the human services department [health care authority department] refuses to hear the appeal. The superintendent may refer to the human services department [health care authority department] any appeal filed with the superintendent pursuant to the Patient Protection Act if the complainant is a medicaid beneficiary and the matter in dispute is subject to the provisions of the Public Assistance Appeals Act.

D. Any managed health care plan participating in the medicaid managed care program as of the effective date of the Patient Protection Act and that is in compliance with contractual and regulatory requirements applicable to that program shall be deemed to comply with any requirements established in accordance with that act until July 1, 1999; provided that, from the effective date of that act, any rights established under that act beyond those under requirements of the human services department [health care authority department] shall apply to enrollees in medicaid managed health care plans.