The following are brief summaries of some of the bills before the Connecticut General Assembly for the 2010 legislative consideration. See
www.cga.ct.gov for more information or details.
House Bill 5004 - An Act Concerning Transparency in Health Insurance Claims Data. Purpose: To require insurers to disclose to certain employers upon request certain claims data.
House Bill 5258 - An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Program Review and Investigations Committee Concerning Scope of Practice Determinations for Healthcare Professionals. Purpose: To implement the recommendations of the Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee concerning scope of practice determinations for health care professionals. The recommendations include the creation of a standardized process with the Department of Public Health to determine scope of practice changes.
House Bill 5235 - An Act Concerning Evidence of Noncoverage of Health Insurance. Purpose: To require insurers and other entities, in the event of a denial based on the reason that the requested service is not a covered benefit, to mail to an insured a copy of the applicable provision of the policy or certificate governing such decision, and to include in such mailing a notice with the contact information of the Insurance Department and the Office of the Healthcare Advocate.
Senate Bill 12 - An Act Clarifying Postclaims Underwriting. Purpose: To distinguish short-term health insurance policies from those having a duration of one year or more for the purpose of the Insurance Commissioner’s approval of rescinding, canceling, or limiting a policy, to limit the scope of an investigation into a suspected preexisting condition and to specify requirements for insurers or health care centers that accept telephonic applications for individual health insurance coverage.
Senate Bill 14 - An Act Prohibiting Co-payments for Preventive Care. Purpose: To promote the health of Connecticut residents by prohibiting co-payments, deductibles, or other out of pocket expenses for preventive care services (i.e., annual physicals, prenatal/well-child visits, immunizations, tobacco cessation, obesity weight loss programs).
Senate Bill 15 - An Act Concerning Prescription Drug Co-payments. Purpose: To require any co-payment required by an individual or group health insurance policy for prescription drugs to be the same regardless of whether such drugs are obtained through a retail pharmacy or through a mail order pharmacy.
Senate Bill 17 - An Act Concerning Health Care Provider Rental Network Contract Arrangements. Purpose: To require listings of covered entities be updated at least every 90 days, to prohibit covered entities from granting subsequent access to third parties to health care services, discounted rates or fees established in contracts between health care providers and contracting entities, and to specify that violations are deemed unfair or deceptive insurance practices under section 38a-816 of the general statutes.
Senate Bill No. 51 - An Act Concerning Machine-Readable Medical Benefits Identification Cards. Purpose: To require the issuance of machine-readable medical benefits identification cards and scanner devices to read or access such cards.
Senate Bill 52 - An Act Concerning Proof of Health Insurance Coverage for Children. Purpose: To reduce the number of uninsured children in this state.
Senate Bill 130 - An Act Concerning Cancelled Doctors’ Appointments. Purpose: To protect patients by requiring physicians and medical practices to post notice relating to missed appointment fees.
Senate Bill 192 - An Act concerning APRNs and Primary Care Providers for Individual or Group Health Insurance Policies. Purpose: To allow an insured or certificate holder to designate a participating, in-network physician or APRN as such insured’s or certificate holder’s primary care provider
Senate Bill 222 - An Act Concerning Complaints Pending in DPH Against Physicians and Certain Other Healthcare Provider and Establishing a Mediation Program for Medical Malpractice Actions. Purpose: To permit a person who files a complaint with DPH alleging incompetence, negligence, fraud or deceit by a HCP to obtain information about the status of the complaint, notice of final disposition of the complaint, and to establish a mediation program for medical malpractice actions
Senate Bill 252 - An Act Concerning Medical Malpractice Data Reporting. Purpose: To expand professional liability insurance closed claim reporting requirements, grant the Insurance Commissioner the authority to fine entities that fail to submit reports as required and add confidentiality provisions.