185.982 Manner of practicing medicine, chiropractic and dentistry; payment; promotional expense.

(1) No health care plan or contract issued by a cooperative association shall interfere with the manner or mode of the practice of medicine, optometry, chiropractic, dentistry, or podiatry, the manner or mode of providing wellness or other services, the relationship of physician, chiropractor, optometrist, dentist, podiatrist, or other provider and patient, nor the responsibility of physician, chiropractor, optometrist, dentist, podiatrist, or other provider to patient. Plans may require persons covered to utilize health care providers designated by the cooperative association. The cooperative association may provide health care services directly through providers who are employees of the cooperative association or through agreements with individual providers or groups of providers organized on a group practice or individual practice basis.

(2) Any cooperative association operating voluntary health care plans under the provisions of this chapter may pay physicians and surgeons, optometrists, chiropractors, dentists, or other providers on a salary, per person, or fee-for-service basis to provide health care to members of the association. Every cooperative association may offer its health care services to nonmembers. Any cooperative association that operates a hospital may make the hospital's facilities available to nonmembers and to nonparticipating physicians, optometrists, dentists, or other providers.

History: 1981 c. 205; 1987 a. 27; 2009 a. 113, 165; 2013 a. 173 s. 33.