S*0025(Rat #0423, Act #0377)  General Bill, By Bryan and Hayes

Similar(H 3012)
 A Bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section
 38-71-737 so as to require an offer of coverage for psychiatric conditions in
 group health insurance policies and define "psychiatric conditions".-amended
 title

   01/12/93  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-33
   01/12/93  Senate Referred to Committee on Banking and Insurance SJ-33
   03/03/94  Senate Polled out of committee Banking and Insurance SJ-9
   03/03/94  Senate  Favorable with amendments SJ-9
   03/09/94  Senate Amended SJ-16
   03/09/94  Senate Read second time SJ-17
   03/17/94  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-16
   03/22/94  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-13
   03/22/94  House  Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry HJ-14
   04/13/94  House  Committee report: Favorable Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry HJ-6
   04/27/94  House  Read second time HJ-23
   04/28/94  House  Read third time and enrolled HJ-316
   05/04/94         Ratified R 423
   05/10/94         Signed By Governor
   05/10/94         Effective date 05/10/94
   05/23/94         Copies available

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 38-71-737 SO AS TO REQUIRE AN OFFER OF COVERAGE FOR PSYCHIATRIC CONDITIONS IN GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES AND DEFINE "PSYCHIATRIC CONDITIONS".

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

Requirement of coverage for psychiatric conditions

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 38-71-737. (A) An offer to sell a group health insurance policy must include an offer of an optional rider or endorsement to provide benefits for psychiatric conditions as defined in this section. The offer of coverage may contain provisions prescribing different benefits for psychiatric conditions and physical conditions with respect to any deductible amount, coinsurance provision, or contract term affecting benefit determinations based upon use or nonuse of preferred providers.

(B) The offer of an optional rider or endorsement for a group health insurance policy must provide minimum benefits for psychiatric conditions not less than two thousand dollars for each member for each benefit year with a lifetime maximum benefit of ten thousand dollars.

(C) This section does not prohibit an insurer from issuing or continuing to issue a health insurance policy which provides benefits greater than the minimum benefits required by this section or benefits generally more favorable to the insured than those required by this section.

(D) As used in this section, `psychiatric conditions' means those mental and nervous conditions, drug and substance addiction or abuse, alcoholism, or other conditions that are defined, described, or classified as psychiatric disorders or conditions in the most current publication of the American Psychiatric Association entitled `The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'."

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Approved the 10th day of May, 1994.