(a) General rules.

(1) An MCO, PIHP, or PAHP may not prohibit, or otherwise restrict, a provider acting within the lawful scope of practice, from advising or advocating on behalf of an enrollee who is his or her patient, for the following:

(i) The enrollee's health status, medical care, or treatment options, including any alternative treatment that may be self-administered.

(ii) Any information the enrollee needs to decide among all relevant treatment options.

(iii) The risks, benefits, and consequences of treatment or non-treatment.

(iv) The enrollee's right to participate in decisions regarding his or her health care, including the right to refuse treatment, and to express preferences about future treatment decisions.

(2) Subject to the information requirements of paragraph (b) of this section, an MCO, PIHP, or PAHP that would otherwise be required to provide, reimburse for, or provide coverage of, a counseling or referral service because of the requirement in paragraph (a)(1) of this section is not required to do so if the MCO, PIHP, or PAHP objects to the service on moral or religious grounds.

(b) Information requirements: MCO, PIHP, and PAHP responsibility.

(1)

(i) An MCO, PIHP, or PAHP that elects the option provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section must furnish information about the services it does not cover as follows:

(A) To the State—

(1) With its application for a Medicaid contract.

(2) Whenever it adopts the policy during the term of the contract.

(B) Consistent with the provisions of §438.10, to enrollees, within 90 days after adopting the policy for any particular service.

(ii) Although this timeframe would be sufficient to entitle the MCO, PIHP, or PAHP to the option provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, the overriding rule in §438.10(g)(4) requires the State, its contracted representative, or MCO, PIHP, or PAHP to furnish the information at least 30 days before the effective date of the policy.

(2) As specified in §438.10(g)(2)(ii)(A) and (B), the MCOs, PIHPs, and PAHPs must inform enrollees how they can obtain information from the State about how to access the service excluded under paragraph (a)(2) of this section.

(c) Information requirements: State responsibility. For each service excluded by an MCO, PIHP, or PAHP under paragraph (a)(2) of this section, the State must provide information on how and where to obtain the service, as specified in §438.10.

(d) Sanction. An MCO that violates the prohibition of paragraph (a)(1) of this section is subject to intermediate sanctions under subpart I of this part.