(a) To the extent a health insurance plan provides coverage for a particular type of health service or for any particular medical condition that is within the scope of practice of athletic trainers, a licensed athletic trainer who acts within the scope of practice authorized by law shall not be denied reimbursement by the health insurer for those covered services if the health insurer would reimburse another health care provider for those services. A health insurer may require that the athletic trainer services be provided by a licensed athletic trainer under contract with the insurer. Services provided by athletic trainers may be subject to reasonable deductibles, co-payment and co-insurance amounts, fee or benefit limits, practice parameters, and utilization review consistent with applicable rules adopted by the Department of Financial Regulation; provided that the amounts, limits, and review shall not function to direct treatment in a manner unfairly discriminative against athletic trainer care, and collectively shall be no more restrictive than those applicable under the same policy for care or services provided by other health care providers but allowing for the management of the benefit consistent with variations in practice patterns and treatment modalities among different types of health care providers. Nothing in this section shall be construed as impeding or preventing either the provision or coverage of health care services by licensed athletic trainers within the lawful scope of athletic trainer practice.

(b) As used in this section, "health insurance plan" means an individual or group health insurance policy, a hospital or medical service corporation or health maintenance organization subscriber contract, or another health benefit plan offered, issued, or renewed for a person in this State by a health insurer, as defined in 18 V.S.A. § 9402(8). The term shall not include benefit plans providing coverage for specific disease or other limited benefit coverage. (Added 2007, No. 141 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. July 1, 2008; amended 2011, No. 78 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. April 2, 2012.)