SECOND REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 1938

91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES BARRY, KREIDER, CRUMP, CURLS, REID, OSTMANN,

PORTWOOD, HOLAND (Co-sponsors), THOMPSON, CARNAHAN, FARNEN, DAVIS, ROSS,

O'CONNOR, FOLEY, NAEGER AND PHILLIPS.

Read 1st time February 14, 2002, and 1000 copies ordered printed.

TED WEDEL, Chief Clerk

4616L.01I

AN ACT

To amend chapter 376, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to health insurance coverage.



Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

Section A. Chapter 376, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 376.1253, to read as follows:

376.1253. 1. Each physician attending any patient with a newly diagnosed cancer shall, if it is within the physician's best clinical judgment and is in the best interest of the patient, provide the patient with a timely referral to an appropriate specialist, within or outside the provider network, for a second opinion regarding the treatment of the patient's type of cancer.

2. Each health carrier offering health benefit plans that are delivered, issued for delivery, continued or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2003, shall provide coverage for a second opinion rendered by an appropriate medical specialist when a patient with a newly diagnosed cancer is referred to such specialist by his or her attending physician as listed in subsection 1 of this section. This coverage shall apply even if the appropriate medical specialist is outside of the patient's provider network. Such coverage shall be subject to the same deductible and coinsurance conditions applied to other referrals and all other terms and conditions applicable to other benefits.

3. The terms "health carrier" and "health benefit plan" shall have the same meaning as such terms are defined in section 376.1350.

4. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a supplemental insurance policy, including a life care contract, accident-only policy, specified disease policy, hospital policy providing a fixed daily benefit only, Medicare supplement policy, long-term care policy, short-term major medical policy of six months or less duration, or any other policy as determined by the director of the department of insurance.


Missouri House of Representatives