Current through the 2024 Regular Session
Section 83-9-24 - Prohibition against requiring higher co-payment, coinsurance, etc., for patient-administered anti-cancer medications than is required for anti-cancer medications injected or intravenously administered by health care provider(1)(a) As used in this section, the following terms shall be defined as provided in this subsection:(b) "Anti-cancer medication" means drugs and biologics that are used to kill, slow, or prevent the growth of cancerous cells.(c) "Health plan or policy" means any hospital, health or medical expense insurance policy, hospital or medical service contract, employee welfare benefit plan, contract or agreement with a health maintenance organization or a preferred provider organization, health and accident insurance policy, or any other insurance contract of this type, including a group insurance plan and the State and School Employees Life and Health Insurance Plan.(2) Any health plan or policy delivered, issued for delivery or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2016, that covers anti-cancer medications that are injected or intravenously administered by a health care provider and patient-administered anti-cancer medications, including, but not limited to, those orally administered or self-injected, may not require a higher co-payment, deductible or coinsurance amount for patient-administered anti-cancer medications than it requires for injected or intravenously administered anti-cancer medications, regardless of the formulation or benefit category determination by the policy or plan.(3) The health insurance policy or plan may not comply with subsection (2) of this section by: (a) Increasing the co-payment, deductible or coinsurance amount required for injected or intravenously administered anti-cancer medications that are covered under the policy or plan; or(b) Reclassifying benefits with respect to anti-cancer medications.Added by Laws, 2015, ch. 490, HB 952, 1, eff. 7/1/2015.