Bill Text: OH HB81 | 2009-2010 | 128th General Assembly | Engrossed


Bill Title: To require certain health care policies, contracts, agreements, and plans to provide benefits for equipment, supplies, and medication for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of diabetes and for diabetes self-management education and to create the Small Business Health Care Affordability Task Force.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 41-3)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2009-12-09 - To Insurance, Commerce, & Labor [HB81 Detail]

Download: Ohio-2009-HB81-Engrossed.html
As Passed by the House

128th General Assembly
Regular Session
2009-2010
Am. H. B. No. 81


Representatives Boyd, Gardner 

Cosponsors: Representatives Weddington, Mallory, Domenick, Newcomb, Luckie, Miller, Yuko, Williams, B., Murray, Foley, Hagan, Chandler, Harris, Skindell, Oelslager, Okey, Pryor, Phillips, Williams, S., Bolon, Letson, Stewart, Brown, Garrison, Fende, Book, Winburn, Garland, Patten, Belcher, Carney, Celeste, DeBose, Dodd, Dyer, Harwood, Heard, Lundy, Moran, Szollosi, Ujvagi, Yates 



A BILL
To amend sections 1739.05 and 1751.01 and to enact 1
sections 1751.69 and 3923.71 of the Revised Code 2
to require certain health care policies, 3
contracts, agreements, and plans to provide 4
benefits for equipment, supplies, and medication 5
for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of 6
diabetes and for diabetes self-management 7
education and to create the Small Business Health 8
Care Affordability Task Force.9


BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       Section 1. That sections 1739.05 and 1751.01 be amended and 10
sections 1751.69 and 3923.71 of the Revised Code be enacted to 11
read as follows:12

       Sec. 1739.05.  (A) A multiple employer welfare arrangement 13
that is created pursuant to sections 1739.01 to 1739.22 of the 14
Revised Code and that operates a group self-insurance program may 15
be established only if any of the following applies:16

       (1) The arrangement has and maintains a minimum enrollment of 17
three hundred employees of two or more employers.18

       (2) The arrangement has and maintains a minimum enrollment of 19
three hundred self-employed individuals.20

       (3) The arrangement has and maintains a minimum enrollment of 21
three hundred employees or self-employed individuals in any 22
combination of divisions (A)(1) and (2) of this section.23

       (B) A multiple employer welfare arrangement that is created 24
pursuant to sections 1739.01 to 1739.22 of the Revised Code and 25
that operates a group self-insurance program shall comply with all 26
laws applicable to self-funded programs in this state, including 27
sections 3901.04, 3901.041, 3901.19 to 3901.26, 3901.38, 3901.381 28
to 3901.3814, 3901.40, 3901.45, 3901.46, 3902.01 to 3902.14, 29
3923.282, 3923.30, 3923.301, 3923.38, 3923.581, 3923.63, 3923.71,30
3923.80, 3924.031, 3924.032, and 3924.27 of the Revised Code.31

       (C) A multiple employer welfare arrangement created pursuant 32
to sections 1739.01 to 1739.22 of the Revised Code shall solicit 33
enrollments only through agents or solicitors licensed pursuant to 34
Chapter 3905. of the Revised Code to sell or solicit sickness and 35
accident insurance.36

       (D) A multiple employer welfare arrangement created pursuant 37
to sections 1739.01 to 1739.22 of the Revised Code shall provide 38
benefits only to individuals who are members, employees of 39
members, or the dependents of members or employees, or are 40
eligible for continuation of coverage under section 1751.53 or 41
3923.38 of the Revised Code or under Title X of the "Consolidated 42
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985," 100 Stat. 227, 29 43
U.S.C.A. 1161, as amended.44

       Sec. 1751.01.  As used in this chapter:45

       (A)(1) "Basic health care services" means the following 46
services when medically necessary:47

       (a) Physician's services, except when such services are 48
supplemental under division (B) of this section;49

       (b) Inpatient hospital services;50

       (c) Outpatient medical services;51

       (d) Emergency health services;52

       (e) Urgent care services;53

       (f) Diagnostic laboratory services and diagnostic and 54
therapeutic radiologic services;55

       (g) Diagnostic and treatment services, other than 56
prescription drug services, for biologically based mental 57
illnesses;58

       (h) Preventive health care services, including, but not 59
limited to, voluntary family planning services, infertility 60
services, periodic physical examinations, prenatal obstetrical 61
care, and well-child care;62

       (i) Routine patient care for patients enrolled in an eligible 63
cancer clinical trial pursuant to section 3923.80 of the Revised 64
Code;65

       (j) Diabetes self-management education, medical nutrition 66
therapy, and equipment, supplies, and medication, as provided in 67
section 1751.69 of the Revised Code.68

       "Basic health care services" does not include experimental 69
procedures.70

        Except as provided by divisions (A)(2) and (3) of this 71
section in connection with the offering of coverage for diagnostic 72
and treatment services for biologically based mental illnesses, a 73
health insuring corporation shall not offer coverage for a health 74
care service, defined as a basic health care service by this 75
division, unless it offers coverage for all listed basic health 76
care services. However, this requirement does not apply to the 77
coverage of beneficiaries enrolled in medicare pursuant to a 78
medicare contract, or to the coverage of beneficiaries enrolled in 79
the federal employee health benefits program pursuant to 5 80
U.S.C.A. 8905, or to the coverage of medicaid recipients, or to 81
the coverage of participants of the children's buy-in program, or 82
to the coverage of beneficiaries under any federal health care 83
program regulated by a federal regulatory body, or to the coverage 84
of beneficiaries under any contract covering officers or employees 85
of the state that has been entered into by the department of 86
administrative services.87

       (2) A health insuring corporation may offer coverage for 88
diagnostic and treatment services for biologically based mental 89
illnesses without offering coverage for all other basic health 90
care services. A health insuring corporation may offer coverage 91
for diagnostic and treatment services for biologically based 92
mental illnesses alone or in combination with one or more 93
supplemental health care services. However, a health insuring 94
corporation that offers coverage for any other basic health care 95
service shall offer coverage for diagnostic and treatment services 96
for biologically based mental illnesses in combination with the 97
offer of coverage for all other listed basic health care services.98

       (3) A health insuring corporation that offers coverage for 99
basic health care services is not required to offer coverage for 100
diagnostic and treatment services for biologically based mental 101
illnesses in combination with the offer of coverage for all other 102
listed basic health care services if all of the following apply:103

       (a) The health insuring corporation submits documentation 104
certified by an independent member of the American academy of 105
actuaries to the superintendent of insurance showing that incurred 106
claims for diagnostic and treatment services for biologically 107
based mental illnesses for a period of at least six months 108
independently caused the health insuring corporation's costs for 109
claims and administrative expenses for the coverage of basic 110
health care services to increase by more than one per cent per 111
year. 112

       (b) The health insuring corporation submits a signed letter 113
from an independent member of the American academy of actuaries to 114
the superintendent of insurance opining that the increase in costs 115
described in division (A)(3)(a) of this section could reasonably 116
justify an increase of more than one per cent in the annual 117
premiums or rates charged by the health insuring corporation for 118
the coverage of basic health care services.119

       (c) The superintendent of insurance makes the following 120
determinations from the documentation and opinion submitted 121
pursuant to divisions (A)(3)(a) and (b) of this section:122

       (i) Incurred claims for diagnostic and treatment services for 123
biologically based mental illnesses for a period of at least six 124
months independently caused the health insuring corporation's 125
costs for claims and administrative expenses for the coverage of 126
basic health care services to increase by more than one per cent 127
per year.128

       (ii) The increase in costs reasonably justifies an increase 129
of more than one per cent in the annual premiums or rates charged 130
by the health insuring corporation for the coverage of basic 131
health care services. 132

       Any determination made by the superintendent under this 133
division is subject to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.134

       (B)(1) "Supplemental health care services" means any health 135
care services other than basic health care services that a health 136
insuring corporation may offer, alone or in combination with 137
either basic health care services or other supplemental health 138
care services, and includes:139

       (a) Services of facilities for intermediate or long-term 140
care, or both;141

       (b) Dental care services;142

       (c) Vision care and optometric services including lenses and 143
frames;144

       (d) Podiatric care or foot care services;145

       (e) Mental health services, excluding diagnostic and 146
treatment services for biologically based mental illnesses;147

       (f) Short-term outpatient evaluative and crisis-intervention 148
mental health services;149

       (g) Medical or psychological treatment and referral services 150
for alcohol and drug abuse or addiction;151

       (h) Home health services;152

       (i) Prescription drug services;153

       (j) Nursing services;154

       (k) Services of a dietitian licensed under Chapter 4759. of 155
the Revised Code;156

       (l) Physical therapy services;157

       (m) Chiropractic services;158

       (n) Any other category of services approved by the 159
superintendent of insurance.160

       (2) If a health insuring corporation offers prescription drug 161
services under this division, the coverage shall include 162
prescription drug services for the treatment of biologically based 163
mental illnesses on the same terms and conditions as other 164
physical diseases and disorders.165

       (C) "Specialty health care services" means one of the 166
supplemental health care services listed in division (B) of this 167
section, when provided by a health insuring corporation on an 168
outpatient-only basis and not in combination with other 169
supplemental health care services.170

       (D) "Biologically based mental illnesses" means 171
schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, major depressive 172
disorder, bipolar disorder, paranoia and other psychotic 173
disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and panic disorder, as 174
these terms are defined in the most recent edition of the 175
diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders published by 176
the American psychiatric association.177

       (E) "Children's buy-in program" has the same meaning as in 178
section 5101.5211 of the Revised Code.179

       (F) "Closed panel plan" means a health care plan that 180
requires enrollees to use participating providers.181

       (G) "Compensation" means remuneration for the provision of 182
health care services, determined on other than a fee-for-service 183
or discounted-fee-for-service basis.184

       (H) "Contractual periodic prepayment" means the formula for 185
determining the premium rate for all subscribers of a health 186
insuring corporation.187

       (I) "Corporation" means a corporation formed under Chapter 188
1701. or 1702. of the Revised Code or the similar laws of another 189
state.190

       (J) "Emergency health services" means those health care 191
services that must be available on a seven-days-per-week, 192
twenty-four-hours-per-day basis in order to prevent jeopardy to an 193
enrollee's health status that would occur if such services were 194
not received as soon as possible, and includes, where appropriate, 195
provisions for transportation and indemnity payments or service 196
agreements for out-of-area coverage.197

       (K) "Enrollee" means any natural person who is entitled to 198
receive health care benefits provided by a health insuring 199
corporation.200

       (L) "Evidence of coverage" means any certificate, agreement, 201
policy, or contract issued to a subscriber that sets out the 202
coverage and other rights to which such person is entitled under a 203
health care plan.204

       (M) "Health care facility" means any facility, except a 205
health care practitioner's office, that provides preventive, 206
diagnostic, therapeutic, acute convalescent, rehabilitation, 207
mental health, mental retardation, intermediate care, or skilled 208
nursing services.209

       (N) "Health care services" means basic, supplemental, and 210
specialty health care services.211

       (O) "Health delivery network" means any group of providers or 212
health care facilities, or both, or any representative thereof, 213
that have entered into an agreement to offer health care services 214
in a panel rather than on an individual basis.215

       (P) "Health insuring corporation" means a corporation, as 216
defined in division (I) of this section, that, pursuant to a 217
policy, contract, certificate, or agreement, pays for, reimburses, 218
or provides, delivers, arranges for, or otherwise makes available, 219
basic health care services, supplemental health care services, or 220
specialty health care services, or a combination of basic health 221
care services and either supplemental health care services or 222
specialty health care services, through either an open panel plan 223
or a closed panel plan.224

       "Health insuring corporation" does not include a limited 225
liability company formed pursuant to Chapter 1705. of the Revised 226
Code, an insurer licensed under Title XXXIX of the Revised Code if 227
that insurer offers only open panel plans under which all 228
providers and health care facilities participating receive their 229
compensation directly from the insurer, a corporation formed by or 230
on behalf of a political subdivision or a department, office, or 231
institution of the state, or a public entity formed by or on 232
behalf of a board of county commissioners, a county board of 233
mental retardation and developmental disabilities, an alcohol and 234
drug addiction services board, a board of alcohol, drug addiction, 235
and mental health services, or a community mental health board, as 236
those terms are used in Chapters 340. and 5126. of the Revised 237
Code. Except as provided by division (D) of section 1751.02 of the 238
Revised Code, or as otherwise provided by law, no board, 239
commission, agency, or other entity under the control of a 240
political subdivision may accept insurance risk in providing for 241
health care services. However, nothing in this division shall be 242
construed as prohibiting such entities from purchasing the 243
services of a health insuring corporation or a third-party 244
administrator licensed under Chapter 3959. of the Revised Code.245

       (Q) "Intermediary organization" means a health delivery 246
network or other entity that contracts with licensed health 247
insuring corporations or self-insured employers, or both, to 248
provide health care services, and that enters into contractual 249
arrangements with other entities for the provision of health care 250
services for the purpose of fulfilling the terms of its contracts 251
with the health insuring corporations and self-insured employers.252

       (R) "Intermediate care" means residential care above the 253
level of room and board for patients who require personal 254
assistance and health-related services, but who do not require 255
skilled nursing care.256

       (S) "Medicaid" has the same meaning as in section 5111.01 of 257
the Revised Code.258

       (T) "Medical record" means the personal information that 259
relates to an individual's physical or mental condition, medical 260
history, or medical treatment.261

       (U) "Medicare" means the program established under Title 262
XVIII of the "Social Security Act" 49 Stat. 620 (1935), 42 U.S.C. 263
1395, as amended.264

       (V)(1) "Open panel plan" means a health care plan that 265
provides incentives for enrollees to use participating providers 266
and that also allows enrollees to use providers that are not 267
participating providers.268

       (2) No health insuring corporation may offer an open panel 269
plan, unless the health insuring corporation is also licensed as 270
an insurer under Title XXXIX of the Revised Code, the health 271
insuring corporation, on June 4, 1997, holds a certificate of 272
authority or license to operate under Chapter 1736. or 1740. of 273
the Revised Code, or an insurer licensed under Title XXXIX of the 274
Revised Code is responsible for the out-of-network risk as 275
evidenced by both an evidence of coverage filing under section 276
1751.11 of the Revised Code and a policy and certificate filing 277
under section 3923.02 of the Revised Code.278

       (W) "Panel" means a group of providers or health care 279
facilities that have joined together to deliver health care 280
services through a contractual arrangement with a health insuring 281
corporation, employer group, or other payor.282

       (X) "Person" has the same meaning as in section 1.59 of the 283
Revised Code, and, unless the context otherwise requires, includes 284
any insurance company holding a certificate of authority under 285
Title XXXIX of the Revised Code, any subsidiary and affiliate of 286
an insurance company, and any government agency.287

       (Y) "Premium rate" means any set fee regularly paid by a 288
subscriber to a health insuring corporation. A "premium rate" does 289
not include a one-time membership fee, an annual administrative 290
fee, or a nominal access fee, paid to a managed health care system 291
under which the recipient of health care services remains solely 292
responsible for any charges accessed for those services by the 293
provider or health care facility.294

       (Z) "Primary care provider" means a provider that is 295
designated by a health insuring corporation to supervise, 296
coordinate, or provide initial care or continuing care to an 297
enrollee, and that may be required by the health insuring 298
corporation to initiate a referral for specialty care and to 299
maintain supervision of the health care services rendered to the 300
enrollee.301

       (AA) "Provider" means any natural person or partnership of 302
natural persons who are licensed, certified, accredited, or 303
otherwise authorized in this state to furnish health care 304
services, or any professional association organized under Chapter 305
1785. of the Revised Code, provided that nothing in this chapter 306
or other provisions of law shall be construed to preclude a health 307
insuring corporation, health care practitioner, or organized 308
health care group associated with a health insuring corporation 309
from employing certified nurse practitioners, certified nurse 310
anesthetists, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse 311
midwives, dietitians, physician assistants, dental assistants, 312
dental hygienists, optometric technicians, or other allied health 313
personnel who are licensed, certified, accredited, or otherwise 314
authorized in this state to furnish health care services.315

       (BB) "Provider sponsored organization" means a corporation, 316
as defined in division (I) of this section, that is at least 317
eighty per cent owned or controlled by one or more hospitals, as 318
defined in section 3727.01 of the Revised Code, or one or more 319
physicians licensed to practice medicine or surgery or osteopathic 320
medicine and surgery under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code, or 321
any combination of such physicians and hospitals. Such control is 322
presumed to exist if at least eighty per cent of the voting rights 323
or governance rights of a provider sponsored organization are 324
directly or indirectly owned, controlled, or otherwise held by any 325
combination of the physicians and hospitals described in this 326
division.327

       (CC) "Solicitation document" means the written materials 328
provided to prospective subscribers or enrollees, or both, and 329
used for advertising and marketing to induce enrollment in the 330
health care plans of a health insuring corporation.331

       (DD) "Subscriber" means a person who is responsible for 332
making payments to a health insuring corporation for participation 333
in a health care plan, or an enrollee whose employment or other 334
status is the basis of eligibility for enrollment in a health 335
insuring corporation.336

       (EE) "Urgent care services" means those health care services 337
that are appropriately provided for an unforeseen condition of a 338
kind that usually requires medical attention without delay but 339
that does not pose a threat to the life, limb, or permanent health 340
of the injured or ill person, and may include such health care 341
services provided out of the health insuring corporation's 342
approved service area pursuant to indemnity payments or service 343
agreements.344

       Sec. 1751.69.  (A) As used in this section:345

       (1) "Equipment, supplies, and medication" includes both of 346
the following, when determined to be medically necessary:347

        (a) Nonexperimental equipment, single-use medical supplies, 348
and related devices approved by the United States food and drug 349
administration for the treatment and management of diabetes;350

        (b) Nonexperimental medication, insulin, glucagons, and 351
insulin syringes for controlling blood sugar approved by the 352
United States food and drug administration for the treatment and 353
management of diabetes.354

        (2) "Medical nutrition therapy" means nutritional diagnostic, 355
therapeutic, and counseling services for the purpose of diabetes 356
disease management provided by a dietitian licensed under Chapter 357
4759. of the Revised Code or a nutrition professional pursuant to 358
a physician's referral.359

        (3) "Diabetes self-management education" means an interactive 360
and ongoing process prescribed by a physician involving a patient 361
with diabetes and the physician or other professional with 362
expertise in diabetes. "Diabetes self-management education" 363
includes assessment and identification of the patient's diabetes 364
needs and management goals, education and behavioral intervention 365
directed toward helping the patient attain self-management goals, 366
and evaluation of the patient's progress in attaining 367
self-management goals.368

       (B)(1) Notwithstanding section 3901.71 of the Revised Code, 369
each individual or group health insuring corporation policy, 370
contract, or agreement that covers basic health care services and 371
is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state shall 372
provide benefits for medical nutrition therapy and diabetes 373
self-management education expenses, when determined to be 374
medically necessary.375

       (2) Notwithstanding section 3901.71 of the Revised Code, each 376
individual or group health insuring corporation policy, contract, 377
or agreement that covers basic health care services and is 378
delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state shall 379
provide benefits for the expenses of medically necessary diabetes 380
medication, equipment, and supplies unless the insured person is 381
covered by an employer-provided group supplemental benefit policy 382
that provides comparable benefits for these expenses. Regardless 383
of whether the benefits are provided through the policy, contract, 384
or agreement that covers basic health care services or a 385
supplemental benefit policy, the copayment and deductible amounts 386
for the benefits shall not exceed those for other medication, 387
equipment, and supplies for which benefits are provided by the 388
policy, contract, or agreement. If the benefits are provided as 389
part of the policy, contract, or agreement that covers basic 390
health care services, the copayments and deductibles for the 391
expenses shall be no higher than they would be if the benefits 392
were provided through a supplemental benefit policy.393

       (C) All of the following apply to the provision of benefits 394
for the expenses of diabetes self-management education and medical 395
nutrition therapy:396

       (1) The benefits shall cover the expenses of diabetes 397
self-management education and medical nutrition therapy only if 398
the education is determined to be medically necessary and is 399
prescribed by a physician or other individual whose professional 400
practice established by licensure under the Revised Code includes 401
the authority to prescribe the education.402

       (2) During the first twelve-month period immediately after a 403
patient begins to receive diabetes self-management education, the 404
benefits shall cover the expenses of ten hours of education, which 405
may include medical nutrition therapy in a program based on the 406
standards for diabetes self-management education as outlined in 407
the American diabetes association's standards of care.408

       (3) In each year following the provision of coverage under 409
division (C)(2) of this section, the benefits shall cover the 410
expenses of two hours of diabetes self-management education, of 411
which one hour may be used for medical nutrition therapy, as an 412
annual maintenance program for the patient, if the education is 413
medically necessary and prescribed by a physician or other 414
individual whose professional practice established by licensure 415
under the Revised Code includes the authority to prescribe the 416
education. Any coverage provided for the expenses of a required 417
medical examination shall not reduce the coverage provided for the 418
expenses of the patient's annual education maintenance program 419
described in this section.420

       (4) The benefits shall cover the expenses of any diabetes 421
self-management education determined to be medically necessary, 422
whether provided during home visits, in a group setting, or by 423
individual counseling.424

       (5) The benefits shall cover the expenses of diabetes 425
self-management education only if the education is provided by an 426
individual with expertise in diabetes care whose professional 427
practice established by licensure under the Revised Code includes 428
the authority to provide the education. The benefits shall cover 429
the expenses of medical nutrition therapy only if the therapy is 430
provided by a dietitian licensed under Chapter 4759. of the 431
Revised Code unless the patient's health plan does not include a 432
dietitian in its network of providers.433

       (D) A health insuring corporation that offers coverage for 434
basic health care services is not required to offer coverage for 435
diabetes self-management education and medical nutrition therapy 436
in combination with the offer of coverage for all other listed 437
basic health care services if all of the following apply:438

       (1) The health insuring corporation submits documentation 439
certified by an independent member of the American academy of 440
actuaries to the superintendent of insurance showing that incurred 441
claims for diabetes self-management education and medical 442
nutrition therapy for a period of at least six months 443
independently caused the health insuring corporation's costs for 444
claims and administrative expenses for the coverage of basic 445
health care services to increase by more than one per cent per 446
year. 447

       (2) The health insuring corporation submits a signed letter 448
from an independent member of the American academy of actuaries to 449
the superintendent of insurance opining that the increase in costs 450
described in division (D)(1) of this section could reasonably 451
justify an increase of more than one per cent in the annual 452
premiums or rates charged by the health insuring corporation for 453
the coverage of basic health care services.454

       (3) The superintendent of insurance makes the following 455
determinations from the documentation and opinion submitted 456
pursuant to divisions (D)(1) and (2) of this section:457

       (a) Incurred claims for diabetes self-management education 458
and medical nutrition therapy for a period of at least six months 459
independently caused the health insuring corporation's costs for 460
claims and administrative expenses for the coverage of basic 461
health care services to increase by more than one per cent per 462
year.463

       (b) The increase in costs reasonably justifies an increase of 464
more than one per cent in the annual premiums or rates charged by 465
the health insuring corporation for the coverage of basic health 466
care services.467

       Any determination made by the superintendent under this 468
division is subject to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.469

       Sec. 3923.71.  (A) As used in this section:470

       (1) "Equipment, supplies, and medication" includes both of 471
the following, when determined to be medically necessary:472

        (a) Nonexperimental equipment, single-use medical supplies, 473
and related devices approved by the United States food and drug 474
administration for the treatment and management of diabetes;475

        (b) Nonexperimental medication, insulin, glucagons, and 476
insulin syringes for controlling blood sugar approved by the 477
United States food and drug administration for the treatment and 478
management of diabetes.479

        (2) "Medical nutrition therapy" means nutritional diagnostic, 480
therapeutic, and counseling services for the purpose of diabetes 481
disease management provided by a dietitian licensed under Chapter 482
4759. of the Revised Code or a nutrition professional pursuant to 483
a physician's referral.484

        (3) "Diabetes self-management education" means an interactive 485
and ongoing process prescribed by a physician involving a patient 486
with diabetes and the physician or other professional with 487
expertise in diabetes. "Diabetes self-management education" 488
includes assessment and identification of the patient's diabetes 489
needs and management goals, education and behavioral intervention 490
directed toward helping the patient attain self-management goals, 491
and evaluation of the patient's progress in attaining 492
self-management goals.493

       (B)(1) Notwithstanding section 3901.71 of the Revised Code, 494
each individual or group policy of sickness and accident insurance 495
that is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state 496
and each public employee benefit plan that is established or 497
modified in this state, shall provide benefits for medical 498
nutrition therapy and diabetes self-management education expenses, 499
when determined to be medically necessary.500

       (2) Notwithstanding section 3901.71 of the Revised Code, each 501
individual or group policy of sickness and accident insurance that 502
is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state and 503
each public employee benefit plan that is established or modified 504
in this state, shall provide benefits for the expenses of 505
medically necessary diabetes medication, equipment, and supplies 506
unless the insured person is covered by an employer-provided 507
supplemental benefit policy that provides comparable benefits for 508
these expenses. Regardless of whether the benefits are provided 509
through the policy or plan, or a supplemental benefit policy, the 510
copayment and deductible amounts for the benefits shall not exceed 511
those for other medication, equipment, and supplies for which 512
benefits are provided by the policy or plan. If the benefits are 513
provided as part of the policy or plan, the copayments and 514
deductibles for the expenses shall be no higher than they would be 515
if the benefits were provided through a supplemental benefit 516
policy.517

       (C) All of the following apply to the provision of benefits 518
for the expenses of diabetes self-management education and medical 519
nutrition therapy:520

       (1) The benefits shall cover the expenses of diabetes 521
self-management education and medical nutrition therapy only if 522
the education is determined to be medically necessary and is 523
prescribed by a physician or other individual whose professional 524
practice established by licensure under the Revised Code includes 525
the authority to prescribe the education.526

       (2) During the first twelve-month period immediately after a 527
patient begins to receive diabetes self-management education, the 528
benefits shall cover the expenses of ten hours of education, which 529
may include medical nutrition therapy in a program based on the 530
standards for diabetes self-management education as outlined in 531
the American diabetes association's standards of care.532

       (3) In each year following the provision of coverage under 533
division (C)(2) of this section, the benefits shall cover the 534
expenses of two hours of diabetes self-management education, of 535
which one hour may be used for medical nutrition therapy, as an 536
annual maintenance program for the patient, if the education is 537
medically necessary and prescribed by a physician or other 538
individual whose professional practice established by licensure 539
under the Revised Code includes the authority to prescribe the 540
education. Any coverage provided for the expenses of a required 541
medical examination shall not reduce the coverage provided for the 542
expenses of the patient's annual education maintenance program 543
described in this section.544

       (4) The benefits shall cover the expenses of any diabetes 545
self-management education determined to be medically necessary, 546
whether provided during home visits, in a group setting, or by 547
individual counseling.548

       (5) The benefits shall cover the expenses of diabetes 549
self-management education only if the education is provided by an 550
individual with expertise in diabetes care, whose professional 551
practice established by licensure under the Revised Code includes 552
the authority to provide the education. The benefits shall cover 553
the expenses of medical nutrition therapy only if the therapy is 554
provided by a dietitian licensed under Chapter 4759. of the 555
Revised Code unless the patient's health plan does not include a 556
dietitian in its network of providers.557

       (D) An insurer or public employee benefit plan is not 558
required to provide benefits for diabetes self-management 559
education and medical nutrition therapy under this section if all 560
of the following apply:561

       (1) The insurer or plan submits documentation certified by an 562
independent member of the American academy of actuaries to the 563
superintendent of insurance showing that incurred claims for 564
diabetes self-management education and medical nutrition therapy 565
for a period of at least six months independently caused the 566
insurer's or plan's costs for claims and administrative expenses 567
for all covered services to increase by more than one per cent per 568
year.569

       (2) The insurer or plan submits a signed letter from an 570
independent member of the American academy of actuaries to the 571
superintendent of insurance opining that the increase in costs 572
described in division (D)(1) of this section could reasonably 573
justify an increase of more than one per cent in the annual 574
premiums or rates charged by the insurer or plan for all covered 575
services.576

       (3) The superintendent of insurance makes the following 577
determinations from the documentation and opinion submitted 578
pursuant to divisions (D)(1) and (2) of this section:579

       (a) Incurred claims for diabetes self-management education 580
and medical nutrition therapy for a period of at least six months 581
independently caused the insurer's or plan's costs for claims and 582
administrative expenses for all covered services to increase by 583
more than one per cent per year.584

       (b) The increase in costs reasonably justifies an increase of 585
more than one per cent in the annual premiums or rates charged by 586
the insurer or plan for the coverage of all covered services.587

       Any determination made by the superintendent under this 588
division is subject to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.589

        (E) This section does not apply to the offer or renewal of 590
any individual or group policy of sickness and accident insurance 591
that provides coverage for specific diseases or accidents only, or 592
to any hospital indemnity, medicare supplement, medicare, tricare, 593
long-term care, disability income, one-time limited duration 594
policy of not longer than six months, or other policy that offers 595
only supplemental benefits.596

       Section 2.  That existing sections 1739.05 and 1751.01 of the 597
Revised Code are hereby repealed.598

       Section 3.  Section 1751.69 of the Revised Code shall apply 599
only to policies, contracts, and agreements that are delivered, 600
issued for delivery, or renewed in this state on or after the 601
effective date of this act; and section 3923.71 of the Revised 602
Code shall apply to policies of sickness and accident insurance on 603
or after the effective date of this act in accordance with section 604
3923.01 of the Revised Code and to plans that are established or 605
modified in this state on or after the effective date of this act.606

       Section 4. (A) There is hereby created the Small Business 607
Health Care Affordability Task Force. The Task Force shall 608
commence its organizational meeting not later than thirty days 609
after the effective date of this section.610

       (B)(1) The Task Force members shall consist of all of the 611
following:612

       (a) Three members of the House of Representatives, two of 613
whom are appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives 614
and one of whom is appointed by the Minority Leader of the House 615
of Representatives; 616

       (b) Three members of the Senate, two of whom are appointed by 617
the President of the Senate and one of whom is appointed by the 618
Minority Leader of the Senate. 619

       (2) The Task Force may, at its organizational meeting, 620
appoint up to five additional members to the Task Force who 621
represent small business employers or employees or who are 622
otherwise relevant to the duties of the Task Force. A member 623
appointed by the Task Force shall not be a member of the General 624
Assembly.625

       (C) The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 626
President of the Senate shall each designate one member appointed 627
under division (B)(1) of this section to serve as a co-chair of 628
the Task Force.629

       (D) The Task Force shall do all of the following:630

       (1) Study the potential benefits of state tax incentives for 631
small businesses that provide health insurance coverage for 632
employees;633

       (2) Study potential state incentives for businesses to offer 634
health wellness and disease prevention programs;635

       (3) Review employer health insurance tax incentives and 636
wellness programs in other states and analyze whether such state 637
policies would encourage greater affordability of 638
employer-provided health insurance coverage and support employers 639
in maintaining and expanding the workforce in Ohio;640

       (4) Consider federal legislation regarding the provision of 641
health insurance by small businesses, including the proposed 642
"Healthy Workforce Act of 2009" and "Small Business Health Options 643
Program Act of 2009," and the potential impact of such federal 644
legislation on Ohio's small businesses;645

       (5) Study the cost and feasibility of applying mandated 646
health benefits as defined in section 3901.71 of the Revised Code 647
to the Medicaid program.648

       (E) The Task Force shall report its findings and any 649
recommendations to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 650
Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, President of the 651
Senate, Minority Leader of the Senate, and Governor not later than 652
six months following the initial organizational meeting of the 653
Task Force.654

       (F) On submission of the report required under division (E) 655
of this section, the Task Force shall cease to exist.656

       Section 5.  Section 1751.01 of the Revised Code is presented 657
in this act as a composite of the section as amended by both Am. 658
Sub. H.B. 562 and Sub. S.B. 186 of the 127th General Assembly. The 659
General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division (B) of 660
section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be 661
harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds 662
that the composite is the resulting version of the section in 663
effect prior to the effective date of the section as presented in 664
this act.665

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