4913 - Conflict of interest.

§  4913. Conflict of interest. 1. No external appeal agent or officer,  director, or management employee  thereof;  or  clinical  peer  reviewer  employed  or  engaged thereby to conduct any external appeal pursuant to  this title, shall have any material professional  affiliation,  material  familial   affiliation,   material   financial   affiliation,  or  other  affiliation  prescribed  pursuant  to  regulation,  with  any   of   the  following:    (a) the health care plan;    (b)  any  officer, director, or management employee of the health care  plan;    (c) any health care provider, physician's medical  group,  independent  practice association, or provider of pharmaceutical products or services  or  durable medical equipment, proposing to provide or supply the health  service;    (d) the facility at which the health service would be provided;    (e) the developer or manufacturer  of  the  principal  health  service  which is the subject of the appeal; or    (f)  the  enrollee  whose  health  care  service is the subject of the  appeal, or the enrollee's designee.    2. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one of this  section,  the  commissioner  shall promulgate regulations to minimize any conflict  of interest where such conflict may be unavoidable.