Delegate Sam Rasoul (D-Roanoke) has introduced a bill in the General Assembly that will prohibit hospitals, insurers, and other entities from requiring Maintenance of Certification (MOC) as a prerequisite for staffing privileges or participation as an accredited provider.  A number of states have already enacted similar legislation.  The bill may be tracked through the Virginia LIS: http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?181+sum+HB157.

HB 157 Right to Treat Act; requirement of Maintenance of Certification prohibited, etc.

Introduced by: Sam Rasoul | all patrons    …    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Right to treat; requirement of Maintenance of Certification prohibited. Prohibits hospitals and other entities that have organized medical staff or a process for credentialing physicians as members of staff or employ or enter into contracts for employment with physicians and are required to be licensed from requiring any Maintenance of Certification or Osteopathic Continuous Certification, as defined in the bill, as a condition of granting or continuing staff membership or professional privileges to a licensed physician. The bill prohibits accident and sickness insurance plans, health services plans, and health maintenance organizations from requiring any Maintenance of Certification or Osteopathic Continuous Certification as a condition of participation or reimbursement for a physician licensed by the Board of Medicine; and prohibits the Board of Medicine from requiring any Maintenance of Certification or Osteopathic Continuous Certification as a condition of licensure to practice medicine in the Commonwealth.