---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 300e–10"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "300e–10"
heading: "Restrictive State laws and practices"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/300e-10"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter XI — Health Maintenance Organizations"
---

# §300e–10. Restrictive State laws and practices

- (a) **Entities operating as health maintenance organizations—** In the case of any entity—
  - (1) which cannot do business as a [health maintenance organization](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=b-3) in a [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) in which it proposes to furnish basic and [supplemental health services](/usc/42/300e–1.md?p=2) because that [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) by law, regulation, or otherwise—
    - (A) requires as a condition to doing business in that [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) that a medical society approve the furnishing of [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) by the entity,
    - (B) requires that physicians constitute all or a percentage of its governing body,
    - (C) requires that all physicians or a percentage of physicians in the locale participate or be permitted to participate in the provision of [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) for the entity,
    - (D) requires that the entity meet requirements for insurers of health [care services](/usc/42/300z–1.md?p=a-7) doing business in that [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) respecting initial capitalization and establishment of financial reserves against insolvency, or
    - (E) imposes requirements which would prohibit the entity from complying with the requirements of this subchapter, and
  - (2) for which a grant, contract, loan, or loan guarantee was made under this subchapter or which is a qualified [health maintenance organization](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=b-3) for purposes of [section 300e–9 of this title](/usc/42/300e–9.md) (relating to [employees](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-5)’ health benefits plans),

  such requirements shall not apply to that entity so as to prevent it from operating as a [health maintenance organization](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=b-3) in accordance with [section 300e of this title](/usc/42/300e.md).

- (b) **Advertising—** No [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) may establish or enforce any law which prevents a [health maintenance organization](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=b-3) for which a grant, contract, loan, or loan guarantee was made under this subchapter or which is a qualified [health maintenance organization](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=b-3) for purposes of [section 300e–9 of this title](/usc/42/300e–9.md) (relating to [employees](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-5)’ health benefits plans), from soliciting [members](/usc/42/300e–1.md?p=3) through advertising its [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a), charges, or other nonprofessional aspects of its operation. This subsection does not authorize any advertising which identifies, refers to, or makes any qualitative judgement concerning, any health professional who provides [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) for a [health maintenance organization](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=b-3).
- (c) **Digest of State laws, regulations, and practices; legal consultative assistance—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall, within 6 months after October 8, 1976, develop a digest of [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) laws, [regulations](/usc/42/201.md?p=d), and [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) pertaining to development, establishment, and operation of [health maintenance organizations](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=b-3) which shall be updated at least annually and relevant sections of which shall be provided to the Governor of each [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) annually. Such digest shall indicate which [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) laws, [regulations](/usc/42/201.md?p=d), and [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) appear to be inconsistent with the operation of this section. The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall also insure that appropriate legal consultative assistance is available to the [States](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) for the purpose of complying with the provisions of this section.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title XIII, § 1311, as added Pub. L. 93–222, § 2, Dec. 29, 1973, 87 Stat. 931; amended Pub. L. 94–460, title I, § 114, Oct. 8, 1976, 90 Stat. 1954; Pub. L. 99–660, title VIII, § 809, Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3801; Pub. L. 100–517, § 8, Oct. 24, 1988, 102 Stat. 2583.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 1311 of act July 1, 1944, was classified to section 211a of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 93–222, § 7(b).

### Amendments

1988—Subsec. (a)(1)(E). Pub. L. 100–517 added subpar. (E).

1986—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–660 substituted “annually” for “quarterly” after “at least”.

1976—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 94–460 added subsec. (c).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 99–660 effective Oct. 1, 1985, see section 815(a) of Pub. L. 99–660, set out as an Effective and Termination Dates of 1986 Amendment note under section 300e–1 of this title.

### Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 94–460 effective Oct. 8, 1976, see section 118 of Pub. L. 94–460, set out as a note under section 300e of this title.