(a) When the Department determines, on the basis of statistical norms and medical judgment, that a medical care recipient has received medical services in excess of need and with such frequency or in such a manner as to constitute an abuse of the recipient's medical care privileges, the recipient's access to medical care may be restricted.

(b) When the Department has determined that a recipient is abusing his or her medical care privileges as described in this Section, it may require that the recipient designate a primary provider type of the recipient's own choosing to assume responsibility for the recipient's care. For the purposes of this subsection, "primary provider type" means a provider type as determined by the Department. Instead of requiring a recipient to make a designation as provided in this subsection, the Department, pursuant to rules adopted by the Department and without regard to any choice of an entity that the recipient might otherwise make, may initially designate a primary provider type provided that the primary provider type is willing to provide that care.

(c) When the Department has requested that a recipient designate a primary provider type and the recipient fails or refuses to do so, the Department may, after a reasonable period of time, assign the recipient to a primary provider type of its own choice and determination, provided such primary provider type is willing to provide such care.

(e) Prior to initiating any action to restrict a recipient's access to medical or pharmaceutical care, the Department shall notify the recipient of its intended action. Such notification shall be in writing and shall set forth the reasons for and nature of the proposed action. In addition, the notification shall:

(1) inform the recipient that (i) the recipient has a right to designate a primary provider type of the recipient's own choosing willing to accept such designation and that the recipient's failure to do so within a reasonable time may result in such designation being made by the Department or (ii) the Department has designated a primary provider type to assume responsibility for the recipient's care; and

(2) inform the recipient that the recipient has a right to appeal the Department's determination to restrict the recipient's access to medical care and provide the recipient with an explanation of how such appeal is to be made. The notification shall also inform the recipient of the circumstances under which unrestricted medical eligibility shall continue until a decision is made on appeal and that if the recipient chooses to appeal, the recipient will be able to review the medical payment data that was utilized by the Department to decide that the recipient's access to medical care should be restricted.

(f) The Department shall, by rule or regulation, establish procedures for appealing a determination to restrict a recipient's access to medical care, which procedures shall, at a minimum, provide for a reasonable opportunity to be heard and, where the appeal is denied, for a written statement of the reason or reasons for such denial.

(g) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, when a recipient has had his or her medical card restricted for 4 full quarters (without regard to any period of ineligibility for medical assistance under this Code, or any period for which the recipient voluntarily terminates his or her receipt of medical assistance, that may occur before the expiration of those 4 full quarters), the Department shall reevaluate the recipient's medical usage to determine whether it is still in excess of need and with such frequency or in such a manner as to constitute an abuse of the receipt of medical assistance. If it is still in excess of need, the restriction shall be continued for another 4 full quarters. If it is no longer in excess of need, the restriction shall be discontinued. If a recipient's access to medical care has been restricted under this Section and the Department then determines, either at reevaluation or after the restriction has been discontinued, to restrict the recipient's access to medical care a second or subsequent time, the second or subsequent restriction may be imposed for a period of more than 4 full quarters. If the Department restricts a recipient's access to medical care for a period of more than 4 full quarters, as determined by rule, the Department shall reevaluate the recipient's medical usage after the end of the restriction period rather than after the end of 4 full quarters. The Department shall notify the recipient, in writing, of any decision to continue the restriction and the reason or reasons therefor. A "quarter", for purposes of this Section, shall be defined as one of the following 3-month periods of time: January-March, April-June, July-September or October-December.

(h) In addition to any other recipient whose acquisition of medical care is determined to be in excess of need, the Department may restrict the medical care privileges of the following persons:

(1) recipients found to have loaned or altered their cards or misused or falsely represented medical coverage;

(2) recipients found in possession of blank or forged prescription pads;

(3) recipients who knowingly assist providers in rendering excessive services or defrauding the medical assistance program. The procedural safeguards in this Section shall apply to the above individuals.

(i) Restrictions under this Section shall be in addition to and shall not in any way be limited by or limit any actions taken under Article VIIIA of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 97-689, eff. 6-14-12; 98-463, eff. 8-16-13.)