SENATE FILE 95

BY  HATCH

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to coverage of religious or spiritually based health or medical care and including applicability provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  514C.29  Coverage of religious or spiritually based health care.
   1.  Notwithstanding the uniformity of treatment requirements of section 514C.6, a policy or contract, or plan established pursuant to chapter 509A, providing for third-party payment or prepayment of health or medical expenses shall not discriminate in approving or covering a health or medical care service on the basis of its religious or spiritual content if expenditures for such a health or medical care service are eligible for deduction as a health or medical care expense as determined by internal revenue service rulings interpreting section 213(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 in effect on January 1, 2011.
   2.  This section shall not apply to accident-only, specified disease, short-term hospital or medical, hospital confinement indemnity, credit, dental, vision, Medicare supplement, long-term care, basic hospital and medical-surgical expense coverage as defined by the commissioner, disability income insurance coverage, coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance, workers’ compensation or similar insurance, or automobile medical payment insurance.
   Sec. 2.  APPLICABILITY.  This Act applies to a third-party payment provider policy or contract, or plan established pursuant to chapter 509A, that is delivered, issued for delivery, continued, or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2012.
EXPLANATION
   This bill creates new Code section 514C.29 which prohibits any policies, contracts, or plans providing for third-party payment or prepayment of health or medical care expenses from discriminating in approving or covering a health or medical care service on the basis of its religious or spiritual content if the service is eligible for deduction as a health or medical care expense as determined by rulings of the internal revenue service interpreting section 213(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 in effect on January 1, 2011. The bill is applicable to policies, contracts, or plans delivered, issued for delivery, continued, or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2012.
   The bill is not applicable to certain specified types of insurance coverage.