Bill 3616

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                       3616
Type of Legislation:               General Bill GB
Introducing Body:                  House
Introduced Date:                   19970311
Primary Sponsor:                   Meacham
All Sponsors:                      Meacham, Cato, Allison,
                                   Young-Brickell, Seithel, Mullen,
                                   Whipper, G. Brown, Neilson,
                                   Cobb-Hunter, Chellis, Clyburn,
                                   Howard, Parks, J. Hines, Sandifer,
                                   Law, Moody-Lawrence, Inabinett,
                                   Kelley, Gourdine, Govan, Lloyd,
                                   Kirsh, Maddox, Simrill, Hinson,
                                   Bowers, Pinckney, Robinson,
                                   Davenport, McKay, Riser, Rodgers,
                                   Lee, Cromer, Carnell, Hodges,
                                   Vaughn, Battle, Keegan, Leach,
                                   Klauber, Miller, Gamble, Martin,
                                   Lanford, Littlejohn, Mack and
                                   Spearman 
Drafted Document Number:           bbm\9211jm.97
Residing Body:                     House
Current Committee:                 Labor, Commerce and Industry
                                   Committee 26 HLCI
Subject:                           Mastectomy, health insurance
                                   policies to pay for hospitalization
                                   of patient for forty-eight hours,
                                   Medical

Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________
House   19970311  Introduced, read first time,             26 HLCI
                  referred to Committee

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 38-71-125 SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES AND HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING FOR HOSPITALIZATION FOR MASTECTOMIES SHALL PROVIDE FOR HOSPITALIZATION FOR AT LEAST FORTY-EIGHT HOURS IF CONSIDERED MEDICALLY NECESSARY BY THE ATTENDING PHYSICIAN AND PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 38-71-125. All individual and group health insurance policies and health maintenance organizations providing for hospitalization for mastectomies shall provide for hospitalization for at least forty-eight hours, if considered medically necessary by the attending physician. Nothing in this section may be construed to prohibit an attending physician from releasing the patient before the expiration date provided, if approved by the attending physician. If the patient is released before the forty-eight hours, a home health visit must be provided if ordered by the attending physician."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect one hundred eighty days after approval by the Governor.