Use of a specific methodology for payment of claims.

(1) Each insurance policy that provides for payment of claims based on a specific methodology, including, but not limited to, usual and customary charges, reasonable and customary charges, or charges based upon the prevailing rate in the community, shall specify the formula or criteria used by the insurer in determining the amount to be paid.

(2) Each insurer issuing a policy that provides for payment of claims based on a specific methodology shall provide to an insured, upon her or his written request, an estimate of the amount the insurer will pay for a particular medical procedure or service. The estimate may be in the form of a range of payments or an average payment. The insurer may require the insured to provide detailed information regarding the procedure or service to be performed, including the procedure or service code number provided by the health care provider and the health care provider’s estimated charge. An insurer that provides an insured with a good faith estimate is not bound by the estimate. However, a pattern of providing estimates that vary significantly from the ultimate insurance payment constitutes a violation of this code.