Today's Law As Amended


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AB-570 Dependent parent health care coverage.(2021-2022)



As Amends the Law Today


SECTION 1.

 Section 1374.1 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

1374.1.
 (a) An individual health care service plan contract issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2023, that provides dependent coverage shall make dependent coverage available to a parent or stepparent who meets the definition of a qualifying relative under Section 152(d) of Title 26 of the United States Code and who lives or resides within the health care service plan’s service area.
(b) If an applicant is seeking to add to their contract a dependent parent or stepparent who is eligible for or enrolled in Medicare, at the time of solicitation and on the application:
(1) A health care service plan shall provide to an applicant who does not apply through the California Health Benefit Exchange written notice that the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) provides health insurance counseling to senior California residents free of charge.
(2) The California Health Benefit Exchange shall provide to an applicant who applies through the California Health Benefit Exchange written notice that HICAP provides health insurance counseling to senior California residents free of charge.
(3) A solicitor shall provide the name, address, and telephone number of the local HICAP program and the statewide HICAP telephone number, 1-800-434-0222.
(c) This section does not apply to specialized health care service plans, Medicare supplement insurance, CHAMPUS supplement insurance, or TRICARE supplement insurance, or to hospital-only, accident-only, or specified disease insurance policies that reimburse for hospital, medical, or surgical benefits.

SEC. 2.

 Section 1399.845 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

1399.845.
 For purposes of this article, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) “Child” means a child described in Section 22775 of the Government Code and subdivisions (n) to (p), inclusive, of Section 599.500 of Title 2 of the California Code of Regulations.
(b) “Dependent” means the spouse or registered domestic partner, child, or parent or stepparent pursuant to Section 1374.1, of an individual, subject to applicable terms of the health benefit plan.
(c) “Exchange” means the California Health Benefit Exchange created by Section 100500 of the Government Code.
(d) “Family” means the subscriber and their dependent or dependents.
(e) “Grandfathered health plan” has the same meaning as defined in Section 1251 of PPACA.
(f) “Health benefit plan” means an individual or group health care service plan contract that provides medical, hospital, and surgical benefits. The term does not include a specialized health care service plan contract, a health care service plan contract provided in the Medi-Cal program (Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code), the Healthy Families Program (Part 6.2 (commencing with Section 12693) of Division 2 of the Insurance Code), the Access for Infants and Mothers Program (Part 6.3 (commencing with Section 12695) of Division 2 of the Insurance Code), or the program under Part 6.4 (commencing with Section 12699.50) of Division 2 of the Insurance Code, or Medicare supplement coverage, to the extent consistent with PPACA.
(g) “Policy year” means the period from January 1 to December 31, inclusive.
(h) “PPACA” means the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148), as amended by the federal Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-152), and any rules, regulations, or guidance issued pursuant to that law.
(i) “Preexisting condition provision” means a contract provision that excludes coverage for charges or expenses incurred during a specified period following the enrollee’s effective date of coverage, as to a condition for which medical advice, diagnosis, care, or treatment was recommended or received during a specified period immediately preceding the effective date of coverage.
(j) “Rating period” means the calendar year for which premium rates are in effect pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 1399.855.
(k) “Registered domestic partner” means a person who has established a domestic partnership as described in Section 297 of the Family Code.

SEC. 3.

 Section 10278.1 is added to the Insurance Code, to read:

10278.1.
 (a) An individual health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2023, that provides dependent coverage shall make dependent coverage available to a parent or stepparent who meets the definition of a qualifying relative under Section 152(d) of Title 26 of the United States Code and who lives or resides within the health insurer’s service area.
(b) If an applicant is seeking to add to their policy a dependent parent or stepparent who is eligible for or enrolled in Medicare, at the time of solicitation and on the application:
(1) A health insurer shall provide to an applicant who does not apply through the California Health Benefit Exchange written notice that the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) provides health insurance counseling to senior California residents free of charge.
(2) The California Health Benefit Exchange shall provide to an applicant who applies through the California Health Benefit Exchange written notice that HICAP provides health insurance counseling to senior California residents free of charge.
(3) An agent shall provide the name, address, and telephone number of the local HICAP program and the statewide HICAP telephone number, 1-800-434-0222.
(c) This section does not apply to specialized health insurance, Medicare supplement insurance, CHAMPUS supplement insurance, or TRICARE supplement insurance, or to hospital-only, accident-only, or specified disease insurance policies that reimburse for hospital, medical, or surgical benefits.

SEC. 4.

 Section 10965 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:

10965.
 For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) “Child” means a child described in Section 22775 of the Government Code and subdivisions (n) to (p), inclusive, of Section 599.500 of Title 2 of the California Code of Regulations.
(b) “Dependent” means the spouse or registered domestic partner, child, or parent or stepparent pursuant to Section 10278.1, of an individual, subject to applicable terms of the health benefit plan.
(c) “Exchange” means the California Health Benefit Exchange created by Section 100500 of the Government Code.
(d) “Family” means the policyholder and dependent or dependents.
(e) “Grandfathered health plan” has the same meaning as defined in Section 1251 of PPACA.
(f) “Health benefit plan” means an individual or group policy of health insurance, as defined in Section 106. The term does not include a health insurance policy that provides excepted benefits, as described in Sections 2722 and 2791 of the federal Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300gg-21; 42 U.S.C. Sec. 300gg-91), subject to Section 10965.01 a health insurance policy provided in the Medi-Cal program (Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code), the Healthy Families Program (Part 6.2 (commencing with Section 12693) of Division 2), the Access for Infants and Mothers Program (Part 6.3 (commencing with Section 12695) of Division 2), or the program under Part 6.4 (commencing with Section 12699.50) of Division 2, or Medicare supplement coverage, to the extent consistent with PPACA or a specified disease or hospital indemnity policy, subject to Section 10965.01.
(g) “Policy year” means the period from January 1 to December 31, inclusive.
(h) “PPACA” means the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148), as amended by the federal Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-152), and any rules, regulations, or guidance issued pursuant to that law.
(i) “Preexisting condition provision” means a policy provision that excludes coverage for charges or expenses incurred during a specified period following the insured’s effective date of coverage, as to a condition for which medical advice, diagnosis, care, or treatment was recommended or received during a specified period immediately preceding the effective date of coverage.
(j) “Rating period” means the calendar year for which premium rates are in effect pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 10965.9.
(k) “Registered domestic partner” means a person who has established a domestic partnership as described in Section 297 of the Family Code.
SEC. 5.
 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.