NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1965 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 1169

SENATE BILL 397

 

 

AN ACT TO GIVE CITIZENS OF THIS STATE FREEDOM OF CHOICE RELATIVE TO OBTAINING ORAL SURGICAL SERVICES FROM PRACTITIONERS LICENSED BY THE STATE TO RENDER THOSE SERVICES.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:

 

Section 1.  Section 57-1 of the General Statutes of North Carolina is hereby amended by inserting between the fourth and fifth paragraphs thereof a new paragraph to read as follows:

"The insured or beneficiary of every 'medical service plan' and of every 'dental service plan', as those terms are used in this Chapter, or of any policy of insurance issued thereunder, that includes services which are within the scope of practice of both a duly licensed physician and a duly licensed dentist shall have the right to choose the provider of such care or service, and shall be entitled to payment of or reimbursement for such care or service, whether the provider be a duly licensed physician or a duly licensed dentist notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in any such plan or policy."

Sec. 2.  Section 2 of Chapter 396 of the Session Laws of 1965 is hereby amended by inserting the words "or a duly licensed dentist" after the words "a duly licensed optometrist" wherever the same appear.

Sec. 3.  Chapter 90 of the General Statutes of North Carolina is hereby amended by adding a new Section immediately following G. S. 90-48 to be numbered G. S. 90-49 and to read as follows:

"G.S. 90-49.  Free Choice by Patient Guaranteed. No agency of the State, county or municipality, nor any commission or clinic, nor any board administering relief, social security, health insurance or health service under the laws of the State of North Carolina shall deny to the recipients or beneficiaries of their aid or services the freedom to choose a duly licensed dentist as the provider of care or services which are within the scope of practice of the profession of dentistry as denned in this Chapter."

Sec. 4.  The right to payment or reimbursement notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in any plan or policy shall be applicable only to those plans and policies entered into, issued, or renewed after the effective date hereof, there being no legislative intent to impair or enlarge obligations under any existing contracts.

Sec. 5.  All laws and clauses of laws in conflict with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed.

Sec. 6.  This Act shall be in full force and effect on and after January 1, 1966.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 17th day of June, 1965.