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Current Status Bill Number:View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.1041 Ratification Number:373 Act Number:341 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:Senate Introduced Date:20000118 Primary Sponsor:McConnell All Sponsors:McConnell, Matthews, Courtney, Patterson, Reese, Hayes, Jackson, Passailaigue, Bryan, Hutto, Courson, Richardson, Ravenel, Washington, Giese, Short Drafted Document Number:l:\council\bills\nbd\11613ac00.doc Date Bill Passed both Bodies:20000531 Date of Last Amendment:20000524 Governor's Action:S Date of Governor's Action:20000606 Subject:State health medical insurance plan; coverage for mental health condition, alcohol or drug abuse; Narcotics and Drugs History Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved ______ ________ ______________________________________ _______ ____________ ------ 20000628 Act No. A341 ------ 20000606 Signed by Governor ------ 20000531 Ratified R373 Senate 20000531 Concurred in House amendment, enrolled for ratification House 20000525 Read third time, returned to Senate with amendment ------ 20000525 Scrivener's error corrected House 20000524 Request for debate withdrawn by Representative Moody- Lawrence House 20000524 Request for debate withdrawn by Representative Barfield House 20000524 Amended, read second time House 20000524 Request for debate withdrawn by Representative Perry Leach Knotts House 20000524 Request for debate withdrawn by Representative Barrett House 20000524 Objection withdrawn by Representative Tripp Cato House 20000523 Request for debate by Representative Barrett Leach Barfield Perry Moody- Lawrence Knotts Sandifer House 20000523 Objection by Representative Tripp Cato ------ 20000522 Scrivener's error corrected House 20000517 Committee report: Favorable with 30 HWM amendment ------ 20000320 Scrivener's error corrected House 20000317 Introduced, read first time, 30 HWM referred to Committee Senate 20000315 Amended, read third time, sent to House Senate 20000314 Made Special Order Senate 20000314 Read second time, ordered to third reading with notice of general amendments Senate 20000309 Debate interrupted by adjournment Senate 20000302 Co-Sponsor added by Senator Bryan Hutto Courson Richardson Ravenel Washington Giese Short Senate 20000302 Debate interrupted Senate 20000210 Made Special Order ------ 20000126 Scrivener's error corrected Senate 20000120 Committee report: Favorable 02 SBI Senate 20000119 Committed to Committee 02 SBI Senate 20000119 Recalled from Committee 06 SF Senate 20000118 Introduced, read first time, 06 SF referred to Committee Versions of This Bill Revised on January 20, 2000 - Word format Revised on January 26, 2000 - Word format Revised on March 15, 2000 - Word format Revised on March 20, 2000 - Word format Revised on May 17, 2000 - Word format Revised on May 22, 2000 - Word format Revised on May 24, 2000 - Word format Revised on May 25, 2000 - Word format
(A341, R373, S1041)
AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 1-11-760 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE STATE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN, AS OF JANUARY 1, 2002, TO PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR TREATMENT OF MEDICALLY NECESSARY MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AND ALCOHOL OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE; TO PROHIBIT ANY TERM OR CONDITION OF THE COVERAGE FROM PLACING ANY GREATER BURDEN ON ACCESS TO TREATMENT FOR A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION OR FOR ALCOHOL OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE THAN ON ACCESS TO TREATMENT FOR A PHYSICAL HEALTH CONDITION; TO AUTHORIZE MANAGEMENT OF CARE FOR TREATMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AND FOR ALCOHOL OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE; TO PROVIDE THAT, IF THERE IS A GREATER THAN ONE PERCENT INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS UNDER THE STATE HEALTH PLAN AT THE END OF THE THREE-YEAR PERIOD OR A 3.39 PERCENT INCREASE AT ANY TIME DURING THAT PERIOD AS A RESULT OF PROVIDING THE COVERAGE REQUIRED BY THIS ACT, THE STATE HEALTH PLAN MAY OPT OUT; TO REQUIRE THE STATE BUDGET AND CONTROL BOARD TO REPORT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THE IMPACT OF THIS COVERAGE DURING A THREE-YEAR PERIOD; AND TO REPEAL THIS ACT JANUARY 1, 2005.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
State health insurance plan; coverage for mental health, alcohol, and substance abuse
SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 1-11-760. (A) As used in this section:
(1) 'Alcohol or substance abuse' means a condition or disorder involving alcohol or substance abuse that falls under any of the categories listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV or subsequent editions.
(2) 'State health insurance plan' means health insurance plans offered or administered by the State Budget and Control Board. This definition does not include dental insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, disability insurance, long-term care insurance, or any other supplemental health insurance plan offered or administered by the State Budget and Control Board.
(3) 'Mental health condition' means any mental or nervous condition that is caused by a biological disorder of the brain and results in a clinically significant or psychological syndrome or pattern that substantially limits the functioning of the person with that illness, limited to: schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, pervasive developmental disorder or autism, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, anorexia, bulimia, asperger's disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychosis not otherwise specified when diagnosed in a child under seventeen years of age, Rett's disorder, or Tourette's disorder.
(4) 'Term or condition' means any lifetime or annual payment limits, deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, out-of-pocket limits, visit limits, or any other cost-sharing requirements.
(B) The state health insurance plan shall provide coverage for medically necessary treatment of a mental health condition and alcohol or substance abuse and shall not establish any term or condition that places a greater financial burden on an insured for access to treatment for a mental health condition or alcohol or substance abuse than for access to treatment for a physical health condition. Any deductible or out-of-pocket limits required under the state health insurance plan must be comprehensive for coverage of mental health conditions, alcohol or substance abuse, and physical health conditions.
(C) If the state health insurance plan does not otherwise provide for management of care under the plan or does not provide for the same degree of management of care for all health conditions, it may provide management of care for medically necessary treatment of mental health conditions and alcohol or substance abuse as long as the management of care does not diminish or negate the purpose of this section. The management of care must also ensure that timely and appropriate access to care is available, that the quantity, location, and specialty distribution of health care providers is adequate, and that administrative or clinical protocols do not reduce access to medically necessary treatment for any insured.
(D) To be eligible for coverage under this section for the treatment of a mental health condition or alcohol or substance abuse, the treatment must be rendered by a licensed health professional who is acting within the scope of his or her license and in accordance with the provisions of the plan or contract.
(E) A portion of the increase in total health insurance costs resulting from the application of the provisions of the section must be borne by persons covered by the state health insurance plan.
(F) The state health insurance plan may opt out of the requirements of this section if, as a result of the application of this section, the total health insurance costs of the state health insurance plan increase by more than:
(1) one percent by the end of the three-year period beginning January 1, 2002, and ending December 31, 2004; or
(2) 3.39 percent at any time beginning January 1, 2002, and ending December 31, 2004."
Severability
SECTION 2. If any provision of this act or the application of a provision to any person or circumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this act and its application to any person or circumstance shall not be affected thereby.
Study to be conducted
SECTION 3. The Budget and Control Board shall conduct a study to assess the impact of this act for the period beginning January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2003, using actual incurred claims for that period as paid through July 1, 2004. The Budget and Control Board shall report its findings to the General Assembly by December 31, 2004.
Time effective and repeal
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor, except that Section 1 takes effect January 1, 2002. This act is repealed January 1, 2005.
Ratified the 31st day of May, 2000.
Approved the 6th day of June, 2000.
This web page was last updated on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 9:09 A.M.