| 6 | 2 | | |
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| 7 | 3 | | HOUSE BILL NO. 2208 |
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| 8 | 4 | | |
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| 9 | 5 | | AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE |
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| 10 | 6 | | |
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| 11 | 7 | | (Patron Prior to SubstituteDelegate McQuinn) |
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| 12 | 8 | | |
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| 13 | 9 | | A BILL to amend and reenact 38.2-4319 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 38.2-3418.22, relating to health insurance; coverage for at-home blood pressure monitors for individuals with high-risk pregnancy. |
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| 14 | 10 | | |
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| 15 | 11 | | |
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| 16 | 12 | | |
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| 17 | 13 | | on ________________) |
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| 18 | 14 | | |
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| 19 | 15 | | Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: |
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| 20 | 16 | | |
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| 21 | 17 | | 1. That 38.2-4319 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 38.2-3418.22 as follows: |
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| 22 | 18 | | |
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| 23 | 19 | | 38.2-3418.22. Coverage for at-home blood pressure monitors. |
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| 24 | 20 | | |
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| 25 | 21 | | A. As used in this section: |
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| 26 | 22 | | |
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| 27 | 23 | | "At-home blood pressure monitor" means a medical device intended for self-monitoring of blood pressure by individuals outside of a clinical setting that is cleared or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. |
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| 28 | 24 | | |
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| 29 | 25 | | "Hypertension" means a medical condition diagnosed by a licensed health care provider characterized by persistently elevated blood pressure, including prehypertension, essential hypertension, and secondary hypertension. |
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| 30 | 26 | | |
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| 31 | 27 | | B. Notwithstanding the provisions of 38.2-3419, subdivision A 1 of 38.2-6506, or any other provision of law, each insurer proposing to issue individual or group accident and sickness insurance policies, each corporation providing individual or group accident and sickness subscription contracts, and each health maintenance organization providing a health care plan for health care services shall provide coverage for at-home blood pressure monitors for individuals with a high-risk pregnancy, as determined by a licensed medical provider. |
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| 32 | 28 | | |
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| 33 | 29 | | C. The coverage required by this section shall include the cost of one at-home blood pressure monitor every two years, or more frequently if deemed medically necessary by a licensed health care provider, and replacement of an at-home blood pressure monitor if the device is damaged or lost or if an updated device is required due to changes in medical guidelines or technological advancements. |
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| 34 | 30 | | |
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| 35 | 31 | | D. No insurer, corporation, or health maintenance organization shall impose upon any person receiving benefits pursuant to this section any copayment or fee for an at-home blood pressure monitor. |
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| 36 | 32 | | |
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| 37 | 33 | | E. The provisions of this section shall not apply to short-term travel, accident-only, limited or specified disease policies, or contracts designed for issuance to persons eligible for coverage under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, known as Medicare, or any other similar coverage under state or federal governmental plans or to short-term nonrenewable policies of not more than six months' duration. |
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| 38 | 34 | | |
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| 39 | 35 | | 38.2-4319. Statutory construction and relationship to other laws. |
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| 40 | 36 | | |
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| 41 | 37 | | A. No provisions of this title except this chapter and, insofar as they are not inconsistent with this chapter, 38.2-100, 38.2-136, 38.2-200, 38.2-203, 38.2-209 through 38.2-213, 38.2-216, 38.2-218 through 38.2-225, 38.2-229, 38.2-232, 38.2-305, 38.2-316, 38.2-316.1, 38.2-316.2, 38.2-322, 38.2-325, 38.2-326, 38.2-400, 38.2-402 through 38.2-413, 38.2-500 through 38.2-515, 38.2-600 through 38.2-629, Chapter 9 ( 38.2-900 et seq.), 38.2-1016.1 through 38.2-1023, 38.2-1057, and 38.2-1306.1, Article 2 ( 38.2-1306.2 et seq.), 38.2-1315.1, and Articles 3.1 ( 38.2-1316.1 et seq.), 4 ( 38.2-1317 et seq.), 5 ( 38.2-1322 et seq.), 5.1 ( 38.2-1334.3 et seq.), and 5.2 ( 38.2-1334.11 et seq.) of Chapter 13, Articles 1 ( 38.2-1400 et seq.), 2 ( 38.2-1412 et seq.), and 4 ( 38.2-1446 et seq.) of Chapter 14, Chapter 15 ( 38.2-1500 et seq.), Chapter 17 ( 38.2-1700 et seq.), 38.2-1800 through 38.2-1836, 38.2-3401, 38.2-3405, 38.2-3405.1, 38.2-3406.1, 38.2-3407.2 through 38.2-3407.6:1, 38.2-3407.9 through 38.2-3407.20, 38.2-3411, 38.2-3411.2, 38.2-3411.3, 38.2-3411.4, 38.2-3412.1, 38.2-3414.1, 38.2-3418.1 through 38.2-3418.19, 38.2-3418.21, 38.2-3418.22, 38.2-3419.1, and 38.2-3430.1 through 38.2-3454, Articles 8 ( 38.2-3461 et seq.) and 9 ( 38.2-3465 et seq.) of Chapter 34, 38.2-3500, subdivision 13 of 38.2-3503, subdivision 8 of 38.2-3504, 38.2-3514.1, 38.2-3514.2, 38.2-3522.1 through 38.2-3523.4, 38.2-3525, 38.2-3540.1, 38.2-3540.2, 38.2-3541.2, 38.2-3542, and 38.2-3543.2, Article 5 ( 38.2-3551 et seq.) of Chapter 35, Chapter 35.1 ( 38.2-3556 et seq.), 38.2-3610, Chapter 52 ( 38.2-5200 et seq.), Chapter 55 ( 38.2-5500 et seq.), Chapter 58 ( 38.2-5800 et seq.), Chapter 65 ( 38.2-6500 et seq.), and Chapter 66 ( 38.2-6600 et seq.) shall be applicable to any health maintenance organization granted a license under this chapter. This chapter shall not apply to an insurer or health services plan licensed and regulated in conformance with the insurance laws or Chapter 42 ( 38.2-4200 et seq.) except with respect to the activities of its health maintenance organization. |
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| 42 | 38 | | |
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| 43 | 39 | | B. For plans administered by the Department of Medical Assistance Services that provide benefits pursuant to Title XIX or Title XXI of the Social Security Act, as amended, no provisions of this title except this chapter and, insofar as they are not inconsistent with this chapter, 38.2-100, 38.2-136, 38.2-200, 38.2-203, 38.2-209 through 38.2-213, 38.2-216, 38.2-218 through 38.2-225, 38.2-229, 38.2-232, 38.2-322, 38.2-325, 38.2-400, 38.2-402 through 38.2-413, 38.2-500 through 38.2-515, and 38.2-600 through 38.2-629, Chapter 9 ( 38.2-900 et seq.), 38.2-1016.1 through 38.2-1023, 38.2-1057, and 38.2-1306.1, Article 2 ( 38.2-1306.2 et seq.), 38.2-1315.1, Articles 3.1 ( 38.2-1316.1 et seq.), 4 ( 38.2-1317 et seq.), 5 ( 38.2-1322 et seq.), 5.1 ( 38.2-1334.3 et seq.), and 5.2 ( 38.2-1334.11 et seq.) of Chapter 13, Articles 1 ( 38.2-1400 et seq.), 2 ( 38.2-1412 et seq.), and 4 ( 38.2-1446 et seq.) of Chapter 14, 38.2-3401, 38.2-3405, 38.2-3407.2 through 38.2-3407.5, 38.2-3407.6, 38.2-3407.6:1, 38.2-3407.9, 38.2-3407.9:01, and 38.2-3407.9:02, subsection E of 38.2-3407.10, 38.2-3407.10:1, 38.2-3407.11, 38.2-3407.11:3, 38.2-3407.13, 38.2-3407.13:1, 38.2-3407.14, 38.2-3411.2, 38.2-3418.1, 38.2-3418.2, 38.2-3418.16, 38.2-3419.1, 38.2-3430.1 through 38.2-3437, and 38.2-3500, subdivision 13 of 38.2-3503, subdivision 8 of 38.2-3504, 38.2-3514.1, 38.2-3514.2, 38.2-3522.1 through 38.2-3523.4, 38.2-3525, 38.2-3540.1, 38.2-3540.2, 38.2-3541.2, 38.2-3542, and 38.2-3543.2, Chapter 52 ( 38.2-5200 et seq.), Chapter 55 ( 38.2-5500 et seq.), Chapter 58 ( 38.2-5800 et seq.), Chapter 65 ( 38.2-6500 et seq.), and Chapter 66 ( 38.2-6600 et seq.) shall be applicable to any health maintenance organization granted a license under this chapter. This chapter shall not apply to an insurer or health services plan licensed and regulated in conformance with the insurance laws or Chapter 42 ( 38.2-4200 et seq.) except with respect to the activities of its health maintenance organization. |
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| 44 | 40 | | |
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| 45 | 41 | | C. Solicitation of enrollees by a licensed health maintenance organization or by its representatives shall not be construed to violate any provisions of law relating to solicitation or advertising by health professionals. |
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| 46 | 42 | | |
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| 47 | 43 | | D. A licensed health maintenance organization shall not be deemed to be engaged in the unlawful practice of medicine. All health care providers associated with a health maintenance organization shall be subject to all provisions of law. |
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| 48 | 44 | | |
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| 49 | 45 | | E. Notwithstanding the definition of an eligible employee as set forth in 38.2-3431, a health maintenance organization providing health care plans pursuant to 38.2-3431 shall not be required to offer coverage to or accept applications from an employee who does not reside within the health maintenance organization's service area. |
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| 50 | 46 | | |
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| 51 | 47 | | F. For purposes of applying this section, "insurer" when used in a section cited in subsections A and B shall be construed to mean and include "health maintenance organizations" unless the section cited clearly applies to health maintenance organizations without such construction. |
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| 52 | 48 | | |
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| 53 | 49 | | 2. That the Bureau of Insurance, in consultation with the Department of Health, shall establish guidelines for implementing the coverage required by 38.2-3418.22 of the Code of Virginia, as created by this act, and monitor compliance of such requirements by health carriers. No later than December 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the Bureau of Insurance shall submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the implementation of the provisions of this act, including the number of individuals benefitting from such coverage, the financial impacts on health insurance premiums, and recommendations for improvements. |
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| 54 | 50 | | |
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| 55 | 51 | | 3. That the provisions of the first enactment of this act shall apply to policies, contracts, or plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in the Commonwealth on or after January 1, 2026. |
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