Bill 3870

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                    3870
Ratification Number:            334
Act Number:                     435
Type of Legislation:            General Bill GB
Introducing Body:               House
Introduced Date:                19950328
Primary Sponsor:                Walker 
All Sponsors:                   Walker 
Drafted Document Number:        bbm\10026jm.95
Date Bill Passed both Bodies:   19960327
Date of Last Amendment:         19950503
Governor's Action:              S
Date of Governor's Action:      19960506
Subject:                        Accident and health insurance
                                policies

Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________

------  19960712  Act No. A435
------  19960506  Signed by Governor
------  19960430  Ratified R334
Senate  19960327  Read third time, enrolled for
                  ratification
Senate  19960326  Read second time, notice of
                  general amendments
Senate  19960305  Committee report: Favorable              02 SBI
Senate  19950505  Introduced, read first time,             02 SBI
                  referred to Committee
House   19950504  Read third time, sent to Senate
House   19950503  Amended, read second time
House   19950426  Committee report: Favorable with         26 HLCI
                  amendment
House   19950328  Introduced, read first time,             26 HLCI
                  referred to Committee

(A435, R334, H3870)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 38-71-730, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO REQUIREMENTS FOR GROUP ACCIDENT, GROUP HEALTH, AND GROUP ACCIDENT AND HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES AND PROVISIONS LIMITING COVERAGE FOR PREEXISTING CONDITIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT POLICIES OF DISABILITY INCOME INSURANCE MAY EXCLUDE COVERAGE FOR DISABILITIES BEGINNING DURING THE FIRST TWELVE MONTHS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF COVERAGE WHICH RESULT FROM A PREEXISTING CONDITION.

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

Policies may exclude certain coverage

SECTION 1. Section 38-71-730(4) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 339 of 1994, is further amended to read:

"(4) The policies may contain a provision limiting coverage for preexisting conditions. The preexisting conditions must be covered no later than twelve months without medical care, treatment, or supplies ending after the effective date of the coverage or twelve months after the effective date of the coverage, whichever occurs first. Policies of disability income insurance may exclude coverage for disabilities beginning during the first twelve months after the effective date of coverage which result from a preexisting condition. Preexisting conditions are defined as `those conditions for which medical advice or treatment was received or recommended no more than twelve months before the effective date of a person's coverage'. However, whenever a covered person moves from one insured group to another, the insurer of the group to which the covered person moves shall give credit for the satisfaction of the preexisting condition period or portion thereof already served under the prior plan if the coverage is selected when the person first becomes eligible and the coverage is continuous to a date not more than thirty days prior to the effective date of the new coverage. Service under a probationary waiting period required by the employer is not considered to interrupt continuous service."

Time effective

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

Approved the 6th day of May, 1996.