House File 265 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 265 BY SCHULTE A BILL FOR An Act requiring health insurance coverage of certain services 1 provided by licensed marital and family therapists and 2 mental health counselors and including applicability 3 provisions. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 2283YH (2) 84 av/nh
H.F. 265 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 514C.29 Coverage of services 1 provided by marital and family therapists and mental health 2 counselors. 3 1. Notwithstanding the uniformity of treatment requirements 4 of section 514C.6, a policy or contract, or plan established 5 pursuant to chapter 509A, providing for third-party payment 6 or prepayment of health or medical expenses that provides 7 reimbursement for any mental or behavioral health service 8 which is in the lawful scope of practice of a marital and 9 family therapist or mental health counselor who is licensed 10 pursuant to chapter 154D, shall provide reimbursement on an 11 equitable basis to the marital and family therapist or mental 12 health counselor for the provision of that service at a rate 13 commensurate with the requirements of licensure of that person. 14 2. This section shall not apply to accident-only, 15 specified disease, short-term hospital or medical, hospital 16 confinement indemnity, credit, dental, vision, Medicare 17 supplement, long-term care, basic hospital and medical-surgical 18 expense coverage as defined by the commissioner, disability 19 income insurance coverage, coverage issued as a supplement 20 to liability insurance, workers’ compensation or similar 21 insurance, or automobile medical payment insurance. 22 Sec. 2. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to a third-party 23 payment provider policy or contract, or plan established 24 pursuant to chapter 509A, that is delivered, issued for 25 delivery, continued, or renewed in this state on or after 26 January 1, 2012. 27 EXPLANATION 28 This bill creates new Code section 514C.29 which requires 29 any policies, contracts, or plans established pursuant to Code 30 chapter 509A, providing for third-party payment or prepayment 31 of health or medical care expenses, that provide reimbursement 32 for any mental or behavioral health service which is in the 33 lawful scope of practice of a marital and family therapist or 34 mental health counselor licensed pursuant to Code chapter 154D, 35 -1- LSB 2283YH (2) 84 av/nh 1/ 2
H.F. 265 to reimburse such a therapist or counselor for the provision 1 of that service at a rate commensurate with that person’s 2 requirements of licensure. 3 The bill is applicable to policies, contracts, or plans 4 delivered, issued for delivery, continued, or renewed in this 5 state on or after January 1, 2012. 6 The bill is not applicable to certain specified types of 7 insurance coverage. 8 -2- LSB 2283YH (2) 84 av/nh 2/ 2