Text: HF02201 Text: HF02203 Text: HF02200 - HF02299 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 514C.14 SERVICES PROVIDED BY
1 2 LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS.
1 3 Notwithstanding section 514C.6, a policy or contract
1 4 providing for third-party payment or prepayment of health or
1 5 medical expenses shall include a provision for the payment of
1 6 necessary mental health services provided by a mental health
1 7 counselor licensed pursuant to chapters 147 and 154D and
1 8 performed within the scope of the license of the licensed
1 9 mental health counselor if the policy or contract would pay
1 10 for the care and treatment if the services were provided by a
1 11 person engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery or
1 12 osteopathic medicine and surgery under chapter 148 or 150A.
1 13 The policy or contract shall provide that policyholders and
1 14 subscribers under the policy or contract may reject the
1 15 coverage for services which may be provided by a licensed
1 16 mental health counselor if the coverage is rejected for all
1 17 providers of similar services. A policy or contract subject
1 18 to this section shall not impose a practice or supervision
1 19 restriction which is inconsistent with or more restrictive
1 20 than the restriction already imposed by law. This section
1 21 applies to services provided under a policy or contract
1 22 delivered, issued for delivery, continued, or renewed in this
1 23 state on or after July 1, 1998, and to an existing policy or
1 24 contract, on the policy's or contract's anniversary or renewal
1 25 date, or upon the expiration of the applicable collective
1 26 bargaining contract, if any, whichever is later. This section
1 27 does not apply to policyholders or subscribers eligible for
1 28 coverage under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act
1 29 or any similar coverage under a state or federal government
1 30 plan. For the purposes of this section, third-party payment
1 31 or prepayment includes an individual or group policy of
1 32 accident or health insurance or individual or group hospital
1 33 or health care service contract issued pursuant to chapter
1 34 509, 514, or 514A, an individual or group health maintenance
1 35 organization contract issued and regulated under chapter 514B,
2 1 an organized delivery system contract regulated under rules
2 2 adopted by the director of public health, or a preferred
2 3 provider organization contract regulated pursuant to chapter
2 4 514F. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to require
2 5 an individual or group health maintenance organization, an
2 6 organized delivery system, or a preferred provider
2 7 organization or arrangement to provide payment or prepayment
2 8 for services provided by a licensed mental health counselor
2 9 unless the licensed mental health counselor has entered into a
2 10 contract or other agreement to provide services with the
2 11 individual or group health maintenance organization, the
2 12 organized delivery system, or the preferred provider
2 13 organization or arrangement.
2 14 EXPLANATION
2 15 This bill applies to the payment by third parties of
2 16 licensed mental health counselors for services provided within
2 17 the counselors' scope of practice which would otherwise be
2 18 paid for when provided by a licensed physician or surgeon.
2 19 The bill supersedes contrary requirements in Code section
2 20 514C.6 which otherwise would prohibit a mandated benefit
2 21 unless the benefit is also required by a federally regulated
2 22 benefit plan. The bill applies to the following third
2 23 parties: an individual or group policy of accident or health
2 24 insurance or individual or group hospital or health care
2 25 service contract issued pursuant to Code chapter 509, 514, or
2 26 514A, an individual or group health maintenance organization
2 27 contract issued and regulated under Code chapter 514B, an
2 28 organized delivery system contract regulated under rules
2 29 adopted by the director of public health, or a preferred
2 30 provider organization contract regulated pursuant to Code
2 31 chapter 514F.
2 32 The bill applies to policies or contracts delivered,
2 33 issued, continued, or renewed on or after July 1, 1998.
2 34 Managed care third-party payers are not required to pay
2 35 licensed mental health counselors who do not have a contract
3 1 with the third party.
3 2 LSB 3756HH 77
3 3 jp/jw/5
Text: HF02201 Text: HF02203 Text: HF02200 - HF02299 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
© 1998 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa
Comments about this site or page?
webmaster@legis.iowa.gov.
Please remember that the person listed above does not vote on bills. Direct all comments concerning legislation to State Legislators.
Last update: Wed Feb 18 03:42:11 CST 1998
URL: /DOCS/GA/77GA/Legislation/HF/02200/HF02202/980210.html
jhf