A N A C T
RELATING TO INSURANCE
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 27-18 of the General Laws entitled "Accident and Sickness Insurance Policies" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
27-18-57. F.D.A approved prescription contraceptive drugs and devices. -- (a) Every individual or group health insurance contract, plan, or policy that provides prescription coverage and is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2001 shall provide coverage for F.D.A approved contraceptive drugs and devices requiring a prescription. Provided, however that nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to mandate or require coverage for the prescription drug RU 486.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any insurance company may issue to a religious employer an individual or group health insurance contract, plan, or policy that excludes coverage for prescription contraceptive methods which are contrary to the religious employer's bona fide religious tenets.
(c) As used in this section, "religious employer" means an employer that is a "church or a qualified church-controlled organization" as defined in 26 USC 3121.
(d) Provided, however, that this section shall not apply to insurance coverage providing benefits for: (1) hospital confinement indemnity; (2) disability income; (3) accident only; (4) long term care; (5) medicare supplement; (6) limited benefit health; (7) specified diseased indemnity; (8) sickness or bodily injury or death by accident or both; and (9) other limited benefit policies.
(e) Every religious employer that invokes the exemption provided under this section shall provide written notice to prospective enrollees prior to enrollment with the plan, listing the contraceptive health care services the employer refuses to cover for religious reasons.
SECTION 2. Chapter 27-19 of the General Laws entitled "Nonprofit Hospital Service Corporations" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
27-19-48. F.D.A approved prescription contraceptive drugs and devices. -- (a) Every individual or group health insurance contract, plan, or policy that provides prescription coverage and is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2001 shall provide coverage for F.D.A approved contraceptive drugs and devices requiring a prescription. Provided, however that nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to mandate or require coverage for the prescription drug RU 486.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any hospital service corporation may issue to a religious employer an individual or group health insurance contract, plan, or policy that excludes coverage for prescription contraceptive method which are contrary to the religious employer's bona fide religious tenets.
(c) As used in this section, "religious employer" means an employer that is a "church or a qualified church-controlled organization" as defined in 26 USC 3121.
(d) Every religious employer that invokes the exemption provided under this section shall provide written notice to prospective enrollees prior to enrollment with the plan, listing the contraceptive health care services the employer refuses to cover for religious reasons.
SECTION 3. Chapter 27-20 of the General Laws entitled "Nonprofit Medical Service Corporations" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
27-20-43. F.D.A approved prescription contraceptive drugs and devices. -- (a) Every individual or group health insurance contract, plan, or policy that provides prescription coverage and is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2001 shall provide coverage for F.D.A approved contraceptive drugs and devices requiring a prescription. Provided, however that nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to mandate or require coverage for the prescription drug RU 486.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any medical service corporation may issue to a religious employer an individual or group health insurance contract, plan, or policy that excludes coverage for prescription contraceptive method which are contrary to the religious employer's bona fide religious tenets.
(c) As used in this section, "religious employer" means an employer that is a "church or a qualified church-controlled organization" as defined in 26 USC 3121.
(d) Every religious employer that invokes the exemption provided under this section shall provide written notice to prospective enrollees prior to enrollment with the plan, listing the contraceptive health care services the employer refuses to cover for religious reasons.
SECTION 4. Chapter 27-41 of the General Laws entitled "Health Maintenance Organizations" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
27-41-59. F.D.A approved prescription contraceptive drugs and devices. -- (a) Every individual or group health insurance contract, plan, or policy that provides prescription coverage and is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2001 shall provide coverage for F.D.A approved contraceptive drugs and devices requiring a prescription. Provided, however that nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to mandate or require coverage for the prescription drug RU 486.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any health maintenance corporation may issue to a religious employer an individual or group health insurance contract, plan, or policy that excludes coverage for prescription contraceptive method which are contrary to the religious employer's bona fide religious tenets.
(c) As used in this section, "religious employer" means an employer that is a "church or a qualified church-controlled organization" as defined in 26 USC 3121.
(d) Every religious employer that invokes the exemption provided under this section shall provide written notice to prospective enrollees prior to enrollment with the plan, listing the contraceptive health care services the employer refuses to cover for religious reasons.
SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon passage.
