HB 233 -- Health Insurance

Co-Sponsors:  Holand, Riback Wilson (25), Moore, May, Page,
Harris (23), Graham, Walker, Schaaf, Carnahan

Under current law, there are several exceptions to the
requirement that health insurers who cover services for mental
illness and addictive disorders provide the same coverage as they
do for physical illness.  These include exceptions that allow
insurers to limit inpatient hospital treatment for mental illness
to 90 days per year (Section 376.811, RSMo), place annual and
lifetime limits on alcohol and drug abuse treatment services
(Section 376.827), and exclude or apply different limits to
certain specified services (Section 376.833).

This bill repeals the current law and requires health carriers
that offer health benefit plans in this state on or after January
1, 2004, to provide coverage for mental health conditions.
Mental health conditions are defined as those listed in the most
recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders.  Coverage for mental health conditions cannot have
rates, terms, or conditions that place a greater financial burden
on an insured for mental health treatment than for physical
health treatment.

The bill does not apply to supplemental insurance policies.

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated July 25, 2003 at 10:11 am