(a) For the purposes of this section, “essential health benefits” means health care services and benefits that fall within the following categories:
(1) Ambulatory patient services;
(2) Emergency services;
(3) Hospitalization;
(4) Maternity and newborn health care;
(5) Mental health and substance use disorder services, including, but not limited to, behavioral health treatment;
(6) Prescription drugs;
(7) Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices;
(8) Laboratory services;
(9) Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management; and
(10) Pediatric services, including, but not limited to, oral and vision care.
(b) Each individual health insurance policy providing coverage of the type specified in subdivisions (1), (2), (4), (11) and (12) of section 38a-469 delivered, issued for delivery, amended, renewed or continued in this state on or after January 1, 2019, shall provide coverage for essential health benefits.
(c) No provision of the general statutes concerning a requirement of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, P.L. 111-148, as amended from time to time, shall be construed to supersede any provision of this section that provides greater protection to an insured, except to the extent this section prevents the application of a requirement of the Affordable Care Act.
(d) The Insurance Commissioner may adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to carry out the purposes of this section, including, but not limited to, regulations specifying the health care services and benefits that fall within each category set forth in subsection (a) of this section.
(P.A. 18-10, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 18-10 effective January 1, 2019.
See Sec. 38a-518q for similar provisions re group policies.