Pre-filed December 1, 1996, and 1,000 copies ordered printed.

Read 2nd time January 13, 1997, and referred to the Committee on Insurance and Housing.

Reported from the Committee February 27, 1997, with recommendation that the bill do pass with Senate Committee Amendment No. 1.

Taken up for Perfection April 1, 1997. Bill declared Perfected and Ordered Printed, as amended.

TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.

S0477.01P

To amend chapter 376, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to certain health care benefits.

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 376.385, to read as follows:

     376.385. 1. Each entity offering individual and group health insurance policies providing coverage on an expense-incurred basis, individual and group service or indemnity type contracts issued by a health services corporation, individual and group service contracts issued by a health maintenance organization, all self-insured group arrangements, to the extent not preempted by federal law, and all managed health care delivery entities of any type or description, that are delivered, issued for delivery, continued or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 1998, shall offer coverage for all physician prescribed medically appropriate and necessary equipment, supplies and self-management training used in the management and treatment of diabetes. Coverage shall include persons with gestational, type I or type II diabetes.

     2. Health care services required by this section shall not be subject to any greater deductible or copayment than any other health care service provided by the policy, contract or plan.

     3. No entity enumerated in subsection 1 of this section may reduce or eliminate coverage due to the requirements of this section.

     4. Nothing in this section shall apply to accident-only, specified disease, hospital indemnity, Medicare supplement, long-term care, or other limited benefit health insurance policies.