Researcher: AR Page 1 5/13/21
OLR Bill Analysis
HB 6588 (as amended by House "A")*
AN ACT CONCERNING MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND
SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES.
SUMMARY
This bill prohibits certain health insurance policies that cover
outpatient prescription drugs from:
1. requiring a health care provider to prescribe a supply of
outpatient psychotropic drugs greater than that which he or she
deems clinically appropriate or
2. imposing a cost-sharing amount (i.e., coinsurance, copayment,
deductible, or out-of-pocket expense) for a less than 90-day
supply of these drugs that exceeds the 90-day, reduced pro-rata,
cost-sharing amount.
These provisions apply to individual or group health insurance
policies delivered, issued, renewed, amended, or continued in
Connecticut that cover (1) basic hospital expenses; (2) basic medical-
surgical expenses; (3) major medical expenses; (4) hospital or medical
services, including those provided under an HMO plan; or (5) single
service ancillary health coverage, including vision, dental, or
prescription drug coverage. Because of the federal Employee
Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), state insurance benefit
mandates do not apply to self-insured benefit plans.
The bill also prohibits mental health care benefits provided under
state law, with state funds, or to state employees, from requiring a
health care provider to prescribe an outpatient psychotropic drug in a
quantity greater than that which the provider deems clinically
appropriate.
Lastly, the bill establishes two task forces: one to study mental 2021HB-06588-R01-BA.docx
Researcher: AR Page 2 5/13/21
health service provider networks and the other to study peer support
services.
*House Amendment “A” reduces the size of both task forces from
11 to 10 members, modifies the qualification requirements for certain
task force appointees, and makes other conforming changes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 2022, except the task force provisions
are effective upon passage.
§ 4 — MENTAL HEALTH SERVIC E PROVIDER NETWORK T ASK
FORCE
The bill establishes a 10-member task force to study ways to
encourage mental health service providers to participate in provider
networks. The task force must report its findings and
recommendations to the Insurance and Real Estate Committee by
January 1, 2022. It terminates on the date when it submits the report or
on January 1, 2022, whichever is later.
The task force consists of the insurance commissioner, or his
designee, and the following members:
1. one appointed by the House speaker, who represents the
Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange (i.e., “the exchange”);
2. one appointed by the Senate president pro tempore;
3. one appointed by the House majority leader;
4. one appointed by the House minority leader;
5. one appointed by the Senate majority leader, who represents a
carrier offering or selling a qualified health plan through the
exchange;
6. one appointed by the Senate minority leader, who has
experience working for a carrier offering or selling health
insurance in the large group market;
7. the Office of Health Strategy’s executive director or her 2021HB-06588-R01-BA.docx
Researcher: AR Page 3 5/13/21
designee; and
8. two appointed by the governor, both of whom must be licensed
healthcare providers, one of whom must also have experience
working within a provider network.
Under the bill, the legislatively appointed members may be
members of the General Assembly. Appointing authorities must (1)
make their initial appointments within 30 days after the bill’s passage
and (2) fill any vacancies.
The House speaker and the Senate president pro tempore pick the
task force’s chairpersons. The chairpersons must schedule the first
meeting, which must be held within 60 days after the bill passes.
The bill requires the Insurance and Real Estate Committee’s
administrative staff to serve as the task force’s staff.
§ 5 — PEER SUPPORT SERVICE S TASK FORCE
The bill establishes a 10-member task force to study health
insurance coverage for peer support services, including how to
increase its coverage to people in Connecticut. The task force must
report its findings and recommendations to the Insurance and Real
Estate Committee by December 31, 2021. It terminates on that date or
on the date when it submits its report, whichever is later.
The bill provides the task force’s appointments, qualifications, and
appointing authorities, as shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Peer Support Services Task Force Members
Appointing
Authority
Number of
Appointments
Appointee Qualifications
House speaker 2 One must be a recovery support specialist and
the other must be a Connecticut Certification
Board member
House majority
leader
1 Must represent a program overseen by the
Department of Mental Health and Addiction
Services 2021HB-06588-R01-BA.docx
Researcher: AR Page 4 5/13/21
Senate president
pro tempore
2 One must be a recovery coach and the other
must represent the Connecticut Hospital
Association
Senate majority
leader
1 Must represent an organization that trains
recovery coaches or recovery support
specialists
House minority
leader
1 Must be a peer supervisor from an
organization that employs peers (presumably,
peer support specialists)
Senate minority
leader
1 Must represent an organization that provides
Medicaid services
Governor 2 One must be a young adult with various peer
support experience and the other must have
community reentry perspective
Under the bill, the legislatively-appointed members may be
members of the General Assembly. Appointing authorities must (1)
make their initial appointments within 30 days after the bill’s passage
and (2) fill any vacancies.
The House speaker and the Senate president pro tempore pick the
chairpersons from among the task force members. The chairs must
schedule the first meeting, which must be held within 60 days after the
bill passes.
The bill requires the Insurance and Real Estate Committee’s
administrative staff to serve as the task force’s staff.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Insurance and Real Estate Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 18 Nay 0 (03/22/2021)