Today's Law As Amended


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AB-1973 Health care coverage: abortion services: cost sharing.(2019-2020)



As Amends the Law Today


SECTION 1.

 Section 1367.251 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

1367.251.
 (a) (1) A health care service plan, except for a specialized health care service plan contract, that is issued, amended, renewed, or delivered on or after January 1, 2021, shall not impose a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement on coverage for all abortion services, including followup services including, but not limited to, management of side effects and counseling. Cost sharing shall not be imposed on a Medi-Cal beneficiary.
(2) Except as otherwise authorized by this section, a health care service plan shall not impose any restriction or delay, including prior authorization and annual or lifetime limit, on the coverage for abortion services.
(3) Benefits for an enrollee under this subdivision shall be the same for an enrollee’s covered spouse and covered nonspouse dependents.
(4) For purposes of paragraphs (2) and (3) and subdivision (b), “health care service plan” includes Medi-Cal managed care plans that contract with the State Department of Health Care Services pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) and Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 14200) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, risk-bearing organizations pursuant to this chapter and any other participating provider acting pursuant to a subcontract with a managed care plan.
(b) This section does not deny or restrict in any way the department’s authority to ensure plan compliance with this chapter when a health care service plan provides coverage for abortion services.
(c) This section does not require an individual or group health care service plan contract to cover an experimental or investigational treatment.
(d) For purposes of this section, “abortion” means any medical treatment intended to induce the termination of a pregnancy except for the purpose of producing a live birth.

SEC. 2.

 Section 10123.1961 is added to the Insurance Code, to read:

10123.1961.
 (a) (1) A group or individual policy of disability insurance, except for a specialized health insurance policy, that is issued, amended, renewed, or delivered on or after January 1, 2021, shall not impose a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or other cost-sharing requirement on coverage for all abortion services, including followup services including, but not limited to, management of side effects and counseling.
(2) Except as otherwise authorized by this section, an insurer shall not impose any restrictions or delays, including prior authorization and annual or lifetime limit, on the coverage for abortion services.
(3) Coverage with respect to an insured under this subdivision shall be the same for an insured’s covered spouse and covered nonspouse dependents.
(b) This section does not deny or restrict in any way the department's authority to ensure an insurer’s compliance with this chapter when the insurer provides coverage for abortion services.
(c) This section does not require an individual or group disability insurance policy to cover an experimental or investigational treatment.
(d) For purposes of this section, “abortion” means any medical treatment intended to induce the termination of a pregnancy except for the purpose of producing a live birth.
SEC. 3.
 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.