67th Legislature
HB 43.1
1 HOUSE BILL NO. 43
2 INTRODUCED BY RHONDA KNUDSEN
3 BY REQUEST OF THE STATE AUDITOR
4
5 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT GENERALLY REVISING LAWS RELATING TO TELEMEDICINE;
6 PROVIDING THAT A PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED PATIENT-HEALTH CARE PROVIDER RELATIONSHIP
7 IS NOT REQUIRED TO RECEIVE SERVICES BY TELEMEDICINE; REVISING THE DEFINITION OF
8 TELEMEDICINE; EXTENDING THE COVERAGE REQUIREMENT TO PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
9 AND SELF-INSURED STUDENT HEALTH PLANS; PROVIDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY; AMENDING
10 SECTIONS 2-18-704, 20-25-1303, 20-25-1403, 33-22-138, AND 37-3-102, MCA; AND PROVIDING A
11 DELAYED EFFECTIVE DATE.”
12
13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
14
15 Section 1. Section 2-18-704, MCA, is amended to read:
16 "2-18-704. Mandatory provisions. (1) An insurance contract or plan issued under this part must
17 contain provisions that permit:
18 (a) the member of a group who retires from active service under the appropriate retirement provisions
19 of a defined benefit plan provided by law or, in the case of the defined contribution plan provided in Title 19,
20 chapter 3, part 21, a member with at least 5 years of service and who is at least age 50 while in covered
21 employment to remain a member of the group until the member becomes eligible for medicare under the
22 federal Health Insurance for the Aged Act, 42 U.S.C. 1395, unless the member is a participant in another group
23 plan with substantially the same or greater benefits at an equivalent cost or unless the member is employed
24 and, by virtue of that employment, is eligible to participate in another group plan with substantially the same or
25 greater benefits at an equivalent cost;
26 (b) the surviving spouse of a member to remain a member of the group as long as the spouse is
27 eligible for retirement benefits accrued by the deceased member as provided by law unless the spouse is
28 eligible for medicare under the federal Health Insurance for the Aged Act or unless the spouse has or is eligible
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1 for equivalent insurance coverage as provided in subsection (1)(a);
2 (c) the surviving children of a member to remain members of the group as long as they are eligible for
3 retirement benefits accrued by the deceased member as provided by law unless they have equivalent coverage
4 as provided in subsection (1)(a) or are eligible for insurance coverage by virtue of the employment of a
5 surviving parent or legal guardian.
6 (2) An insurance contract or plan issued under this part must contain the provisions of subsection (1)
7 for remaining a member of the group and also must permit:
8 (a) the spouse of a retired member the same rights as a surviving spouse under subsection (1)(b);
9 (b) the spouse of a retiring member to convert a group policy as provided in 33-22-508; and
10 (c) continued membership in the group by anyone eligible under the provisions of this section,
11 notwithstanding the person's eligibility for medicare under the federal Health Insurance for the Aged Act.
12 (3) (a) A state insurance contract or plan must contain provisions that permit a legislator to remain a
13 member of the state's group plan until the legislator becomes eligible for medicare under the federal Health
14 Insurance for the Aged Act if the legislator:
15 (i) terminates service in the legislature and is a vested member of a state retirement system provided
16 by law; and
17 (ii) notifies the department of administration in writing within 90 days of the end of the legislator's
18 legislative term.
19 (b) A former legislator may not remain a member of the group plan under the provisions of subsection
20 (3)(a) if the person:
21 (i) is a member of a plan with substantially the same or greater benefits at an equivalent cost; or
22 (ii) is employed and, by virtue of that employment, is eligible to participate in another group plan with
23 substantially the same or greater benefits at an equivalent cost.
24 (c) A legislator who remains a member of the group under the provisions of subsection (3)(a) and
25 subsequently terminates membership may not rejoin the group plan unless the person again serves as a
26 legislator.
27 (4) (a) A state insurance contract or plan must contain provisions that permit continued membership
28 in the state's group plan by a member of the judges' retirement system who leaves judicial office but continues
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1 to be an inactive vested member of the judges' retirement system as provided by 19-5-301. The judge shall
2 notify the department of administration in writing within 90 days of the end of the judge's judicial service of the
3 judge's choice to continue membership in the group plan.
4 (b) A former judge may not remain a member of the group plan under the provisions of this
5 subsection (4) if the person:
6 (i) is a member of a plan with substantially the same or greater benefits at an equivalent cost;
7 (ii) is employed and, by virtue of that employment, is eligible to participate in another group plan with
8 substantially the same or greater benefits at an equivalent cost; or
9 (iii) becomes eligible for medicare under the federal Health Insurance for the Aged Act.
10 (c) A judge who remains a member of the group under the provisions of this subsection (4) and
11 subsequently terminates membership may not rejoin the group plan unless the person again serves in a
12 position covered by the state's group plan.
13 (5) A person electing to remain a member of the group under subsection (1), (2), (3), or (4) shall pay
14 the full premium for coverage and for that of the person's covered dependents.
15 (6) An insurance contract or plan issued under this part that provides for the dispensing of
16 prescription drugs by an out-of-state mail service pharmacy, as defined in 37-7-702:
17 (a) must permit any member of a group to obtain prescription drugs from a pharmacy located in
18 Montana that is willing to match the price charged to the group or plan and to meet all terms and conditions,
19 including the same professional requirements that are met by the mail service pharmacy for a drug, without
20 financial penalty to the member; and
21 (b) may only be with an out-of-state mail service pharmacy that is registered with the board under
22 Title 37, chapter 7, part 7, and that is registered in this state as a foreign corporation.
23 (7) An insurance contract or plan issued under this part must include coverage for:
24 (a) treatment of inborn errors of metabolism, as provided for in 33-22-131; and
25 (b) telemedicine services, as provided for in 33-22-138; and
26 (b)(c) therapies for Down syndrome, as provided in 33-22-139.
27 (8) (a) An insurance contract or plan issued under this part that provides coverage for an individual in
28 a member's family must provide coverage for well-child care for children from the moment of birth through 7
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1 years of age. Benefits provided under this coverage are exempt from any deductible provision that may be in
2 force in the contract or plan.
3 (b) Coverage for well-child care under subsection (8)(a) must include:
4 (i) a history, physical examination, developmental assessment, anticipatory guidance, and laboratory
5 tests, according to the schedule of visits adopted under the early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and
6 treatment services program provided for in 53-6-101; and
7 (ii) routine immunizations according to the schedule for immunization recommended by the
8 immunization practice advisory committee of the U.S. department of health and human services.
9 (c) Minimum benefits may be limited to one visit payable to one provider for all of the services
10 provided at each visit as provided for in this subsection (8).
11 (d) For purposes of this subsection (8):
12 (i) "developmental assessment" and "anticipatory guidance" mean the services described in the
13 Guidelines for Health Supervision II, published by the American academy of pediatrics; and
14 (ii) "well-child care" means the services described in subsection (8)(b) and delivered by a physician or
15 a health care professional supervised by a physician.
16 (9) Upon renewal, an insurance contract or plan issued under this part under which coverage of a
17 dependent terminates at a specified age must continue to provide coverage for any dependent, as defined in
18 the insurance contract or plan, until the dependent reaches 26 years of age. For insurance contracts or plans
19 issued under this part, the premium charged for the additional coverage of a dependent, as defined in the
20 insurance contract or plan, may be required to be paid by the insured and not by the employer.
21 (10) Prior to issuance of an insurance contract or plan under this part, written informational materials
22 describing the contract's or plan's cancer screening coverages must be provided to a prospective group or plan
23 member.
24 (11) The state employee group benefit plans and the Montana university system group benefits plans
25 must provide coverage for hospital inpatient care for a period of time as is determined by the attending
26 physician and, in the case of a health maintenance organization, the primary care physician, in consultation
27 with the patient to be medically necessary following a mastectomy, a lumpectomy, or a lymph node dissection
28 for the treatment of breast cancer.
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1 (12) (a) The state employee group benefit plans and the Montana university system group benefits
2 plans must provide coverage for outpatient self-management training and education for the treatment of
3 diabetes. Any education must be provided by a licensed health care professional with expertise in diabetes.
4 (b) Coverage must include a $250 benefit for a person each year for medically necessary and
5 prescribed outpatient self-management training and education for the treatment of diabetes.
6 (c) The state employee group benefit plans and the Montana university system group benefits plans
7 must provide coverage for diabetic equipment and supplies that at a minimum includes insulin, syringes,
8 injection aids, devices for self-monitoring of glucose levels (including those for the visually impaired), test strips,
9 visual reading and urine test strips, one insulin pump for each warranty period, accessories to insulin pumps,
10 one prescriptive oral agent for controlling blood sugar levels for each class of drug approved by the United
11 States food and drug administration, and glucagon emergency kits.
12 (d) Nothing in subsection (12)(a), (12)(b), or (12)(c) prohibits the state or the Montana university
13 group benefit plans from providing a greater benefit or an alternative benefit of substantially equal value, in
14 which case subsection (12)(a), (12)(b), or (12)(c), as appropriate, does not apply.
15 (e) Annual copayment and deductible provisions are subject to the same terms and conditions
16 applicable to all other covered benefits within a given policy.
17 (f) This subsection (12) does not apply to disability income, hospital indemnity, medicare supplement,
18 accident-only, vision, dental, specific disease, or long-term care policies offered by the state or the Montana
19 university system as benefits to employees, retirees, and their dependents.
20 (13) (a) The state employee group benefit plans and the Montana university system group benefits
21 plans that provide coverage to the spouse or dependents of a peace officer as defined in 45-2-101, a game
22 warden as defined in 19-8-101, a firefighter as defined in 19-13-104, or a volunteer firefighter as defined in 19-
23 17-102 shall renew the coverage of the spouse or dependents if the peace officer, game warden, firefighter, or
24 volunteer firefighter dies within the course and scope of employment. Except as provided in subsection (13)(b),
25 the continuation of the coverage is at the option of the spouse or dependents. Renewals of coverage under this
26 section must provide for the same level of benefits as is available to other members of the group. Premiums
27 charged to a spouse or dependent under this section must be the same as premiums charged to other similarly
28 situated members of the group. Dependent special enrollment must be allowed under the terms of the
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HB 43.1
1 insurance contract or plan. The provisions of this subsection (13)(a) are applicable to a spouse or dependent
2 who is insured under a COBRA continuation provision.
3 (b) The state employee group benefit plans and the Montana university system group benefits plans
4 subject to the provisions of subsection (13)(a) may discontinue or not renew the coverage of a spouse or
5 dependent only if:
6 (i) the spouse or dependent has failed to pay premiums or contributions in accordance with the terms
7 of the state employee group benefit plans and the Montana university system group benefits plans or if the
8 plans have not received timely premium payments;
9 (ii) the spouse or dependent has performed an act or practice that constitutes fraud or has made an
10 intentional misrepresentation of a material fact under the terms of the coverage; or
11 (iii) the state employee group benefit plans and the Montana university system group benefits plans
12 are ceasing to offer coverage in accordance with applicable state law.
13 (14) The state employee group benefit plans and the Montana university system group benefits plans
14 must comply with the provisions of 33-22-153.
15 (15) An insurance contract or plan issued under this part and a group benefits plan issued by the
16 Montana university system must provide mental health coverage that meets the provisions of Title 33, chapter
17 22, part 7. (See compiler's comments for contingent termination of certain text.)"
18
19 Section 2. Section 20-25-1303, MCA, is amended to read:
20 "20-25-1303. Duties of commissioner -- group benefits plans and employee premium levels not
21 mandatory subjects for collective bargaining. (1) The commissioner shall:
22 (a) design group benefits plans and establish premium levels for employees;
23 (b) establish specifications for bids and accept or reject bids for administering group benefits plans;
24 (c) negotiate and administer contracts for group benefits plans;
25 (d) prepare an annual report that:
26 (i) describes the group benefits plans being administered; and
27 (ii) details the historical and projected program costs and the status of reserve funds; and
28 (e) adopt policies for the conduct of business of the advisory committee and to carry out the
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1 provisions of this part.
2 (2) (a) The Except as provided in subsection (2)(b), the provisions of Title 33 do not apply to the
3 commissioner when exercising the duties provided for in this part.
4 (b) Group benefit plans designed under this part must include coverage for telemedicine services as
5 provided in 33-22-138.
6 (3) The design or modification of group benefits plans and the establishment of employee premium
7 levels are not mandatory subjects for collective bargaining under Title 39, chapter 31."
8
9 Section 3. Section 20-25-1403, MCA, is amended to read:
10 "20-25-1403. Authorization to establish self-insured health plan for students -- requirements --
11 exemption. (1) The commissioner may establish a self-insured student health plan for enrolled students of the
12 system and their dependents, including students of a community college district. In developing a self-insured
13 student health plan, the commissioner shall:
14 (a) maintain the plan on an actuarially sound basis;
15