(a) For the purposes of this section:
(1) “Advanced practice registered nurse” means any advanced practice registered nurse licensed under the provisions of chapter 378;
(2) “Certified psychiatric-mental health advanced practice registered nurse” means any advanced practice registered nurse licensed under chapter 378 who is board certified as a psychiatric-mental health provider by the American Nurses Credentialing Center;
(3) “Certified nurse-midwife” means any individual certified as nurse-midwife pursuant to sections 20-86a to 20-86e, inclusive;
(4) “Physician assistant” means an individual licensed pursuant to section 20-12b.
(b) Each individual health insurance policy providing coverage of the type specified in subdivisions (1), (2), (4), (6), (10), (11) and (12) of section 38a-469 delivered, issued for delivery, renewed, amended or continued in this state shall provide coverage for the services of physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurses, certified psychiatric-mental health advanced practice registered nurses and certified nurse-midwives if such services are within the individual's area of professional competence as established by education and licensure or certification and are currently reimbursed when rendered by any other licensed health care provider. Subject to the provisions of chapter 378 and sections 20-86a to 20-86e, inclusive, no insurer, hospital service corporation, medical service corporation or health care center may require signature, referral or employment by any other health care provider as a condition of reimbursement, provided no insurer, hospital service corporation, medical service corporation or health care center may be required to pay for duplicative services actually rendered by both a physician assistant or an advanced practice registered nurse and any other health care provider. The payment of such benefits shall be subject to any policy provisions which apply to other licensed health practitioners providing the same services. Nothing in this section may be construed as permitting (1) any registered nurse to perform or provide services beyond the scope of practice permitted in chapter 378 and sections 20-86a to 20-86e, inclusive, or (2) any physician assistant to perform or provide services beyond the scope of practice permitted in chapter 370.
(P.A. 84-231; P.A. 90-243, S. 89; P.A. 95-74, S. 7, 9; P.A. 11-19, S. 47; P.A. 19-98, S. 10.)
History: P.A. 90-243 substituted references to “health insurance policy” for references to hospital and medical expense policies and contracts, applied provisions to health care centers and specified applicability solely to individual policies; Sec. 38-174v transferred to Sec. 38a-499 in 1991; P.A. 95-74 added physician assistants to those whose services must be included in coverage and defined “physician assistant”, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 11-19 inserted “amended or continued” and made technical changes in Subsec. (b), effective January 1, 2012; P.A. 19-98 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “certified nurse practitioner” with “advanced practice registered nurse” and replacing provisions defining “certified nurse practitioner” with provisions defining “advanced practice registered nurse” in Subdiv. (1), replacing “certified psychiatric-mental health clinical nurse specialist” with “certified psychiatric-mental health advanced practice registered nurse” and replacing provisions defining “certified psychiatric-mental health clinical nurse specialist” with provisions defining “certified psychiatric-mental health advanced practice registered nurse” in Subdiv. (2), amended Subsec. (b) by replacing references to certified nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and certified registered nurses with references to advanced practice registered nurses, and made technical and conforming changes.