Authorizes and empowers the College Retirement Equities Fund (CREF) to merge with the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA) with CREF ceasing to be a corporate entity and TIAA as the surviving entity.
Requires that non-pharmaceutical alternative treatment options including but not limited to treatment provided by a licensed acupuncturist, licensed massage therapist, licensed chiropractor, and yoga instructor be covered by the medical assistance program and by private health insurers.
Requires that insurers providing no-fault coverage reimburse other insurers for the payment of claims to providers which should have been covered by a no-fault insurer.
Provides that group health insurance policies offered in the large group market that is issued, amended, or renewed in this state shall provide coverage for corrective lenses used to correct the sight of individuals medically diagnosed with color vision deficiency.
Enacts the "construction insurance transparency act" to require insurers providing coverage for liability under the scaffold law to report, on an annual basis, to the superintendent of financial services relating to its finances and claims paid thereunder.
Requires insurers to provide coverage for delivery through store and forward technology; requires prescription drug policies to cover the cost of contraceptive care delivered via telemedicine.
Requires a utilization review agent to follow certain rules when establishing a step therapy protocol; requires that the protocol accepts any attestation submitted by the insured's health care professional stating that a required drug has failed as prima facie evidence that the required drug has failed.
Directs a health maintenance organization which denies a claim due to absence of medical necessity to inform the insured as to preferred alternative treatment, or provide the insured with a statement as to the past ineffectiveness of the requested procedure or treatment.
Requires accident and health insurance policies to cover the cost of genetic testing of persons with a family history of cancer when the attending physician determines such person has a significant risk thereof.
Provides that every health insurance policy which provides coverage for hospital, surgical or medical care shall provide coverage for the standard diagnostic testing for ovarian cancer upon the recommendation of a physician; provides that such standard diagnostic testing shall include a pelvic examination, a sonogram and a CA 125 blood test and related laboratory and diagnostic services.
Creates clinical standards and special consideration and processes for utilization review related to care for medically fragile children; makes changes to the effectiveness thereof.