<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <title>Rule 20:06:53:71 Avoiding conflicts of interest.</title> <META NAME="Keywords" Content="Administrative Rules 20:06:53:71"> <META NAME="Description" Content="Administrative Rules 20:06:53:71 Avoiding conflicts of interest."> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1252"> <meta name=ProgId content=Word.Document> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10"> <meta name=Originator content="Microsoft Word 10"> <link rel=File-List href="2006530007100d_files/filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Author>lrpr14533</o:Author> <o:LastAuthor>lrpr14296</o:LastAuthor> <o:Revision>2</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Created>2010-12-07T17:35:00Z</o:Created> <o:LastSaved>2010-12-07T17:35:00Z</o:LastSaved> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>141</o:Words> <o:Characters>808</o:Characters> <o:Company>State of South Dakota</o:Company> <o:Lines>6</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>948</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>10.6867</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Calibri;} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="2050"/> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout v:ext="edit"> <o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--> </head> <body lang=EN-US style='tab-interval:.5in'> <div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;tab-stops:.4in .6in .9in 1.1in 1.4in 1.6in 1.9in 2.1in 2.4in 2.6in 2.9in 3.1in 3.4in 3.6in 3.9in 4.1in'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>20:06:53:71.&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoiding conflicts of interest.</b> The plan or issuer must ensure that all claims and appeals are adjudicated in a manner designed to ensure the independence and impartiality of the persons involved in making the decision. Therefore, any decision regarding hiring, compensation, termination, promotion, or any other similar matter with respect to any individual may not be made based upon the likelihood that the individual will support a denial of benefits. A plan or issuer may not provide bonuses based on the number of denials made by a claims adjudicator. Similarly, a plan or issuer may not contract with a medical expert based on the expert's reputation for outcomes in contested cases, rather than based on the expert's professional qualifications.</p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;tab-stops:.4in .6in .9in 1.1in 1.4in 1.6in 1.9in 2.1in 2.4in 2.6in 2.9in 3.1in 3.4in 3.6in 3.9in 4.1in'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;tab-stops:.4in .6in .9in 1.1in 1.4in 1.6in 1.9in 2.1in 2.4in 2.6in 2.9in 3.1in 3.4in 3.6in 3.9in 4.1in'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Source:</b> 37 SDR 63, effective September 23, 2010; 37 SDR 111, effective December 7, 2010.</p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;tab-stops:.4in .6in .9in 1.1in 1.4in 1.6in 1.9in 2.1in 2.4in 2.6in 2.9in 3.1in 3.4in 3.6in 3.9in 4.1in'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>General Authority:</b> SDCL <A HREF="/statutes/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&Statute=58-17-87">58-17-87</A>, <A HREF="/statutes/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&Statute=58-18-79">58-18-79.</A></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;tab-stops:.4in .6in .9in 1.1in 1.4in 1.6in 1.9in 2.1in 2.4in 2.6in 2.9in 3.1in 3.4in 3.6in 3.9in 4.1in'><span style='mso-tab-count:1'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Law Implemented:</b> SDCL <A HREF="/statutes/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&Statute=58-17-87">58-17-87</A>, <A HREF="/statutes/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&Statute=58-18-79">58-18-79.</A></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;tab-stops:.4in .6in .9in 1.1in 1.4in 1.6in 1.9in 2.1in 2.4in 2.6in 2.9in 3.1in 3.4in 3.6in 3.9in 4.1in'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p> </div> </body> </html>