A. Any entity which provides and/or bills members and/or BCBSKS for health care services which advertises or represents itself to the general public as being owned, controlled, managed, affiliated with, or operated by a contracting provider must also be contracting with BCBSKS unless otherwise permitted by BCBSKS. Failure of such providers to contract with BCBSKS shall be considered cause for termination of the Contracting Provider Agreement in accordance with the Contracting Provider Agreement. This provision is applicable to entities serving members in the BCBSKS operating area.

B. A provider who practices in multiple locations in the BCBSKS operating area must be contracting or non-contracting in all locations.

C. If the name of the provider set forth in the first paragraph of the contracting provider agreement is a professional association or other legal entity, rather than that of an individual, then the contracting provider agreement applies to all persons within the professional association. Any new providers who join the professional association will be understood to be bound by the contracting provider agreement. The party signing the contracting provider agreement on behalf of the professional association warrants to BCBSKS that such party: (1) has the authority to sign such agreement on behalf of the professional association; (2) shall make the terms of the agreement known to members of the professional association; and (3) shall inform new members of the professional association of the terms of the agreement upon entry into the professional association. The foregoing warranties apply to any person defined as an eligible provider in BCBSKS contracts employed by the individual, professional association or other entity signing the contracting provider agreement. If such eligible provider is among those identified in Section XXV. TIERED REIMBURSEMENT AND PROVIDER NUMBER REQUIREMENTS hereof, the MAPs applicable to such eligible providers will apply to any services provided by them. If such persons are contracting separately with BCBSKS, until such contract is terminated, then it shall apply rather than these provisions, but if such separate contract terminates, then nonetheless these provisions shall apply with regard to the contracting status of such person.

NOTE: In the event a provider has been terminated by BCBSKS from the network and subsequently joins a participating provider’s practice, such participating provider will place his/her BCBSKS participating agreement in jeopardy (subject to termination for cause). Certain contracts offered by BCBSKS may offer individual physician options on contract status. Such options are specified by contract language and are offered solely at the discretion of BCBSKS.

D. It is the responsibility of the contracting provider or a representative to notify BCBSKS of any changes in practice information, e.g., license status, address, tax ID number, NPI, ownership, individual provider leaving/joining group practice, death of provider, closure of office, etc.