§ 415:18-r — Coverage for the Cost of Testing for Bone Marrow Donation

I. Each insurer that issues or renews any policy of group accident or health insurance providing benefits for medical or hospital expenses, shall provide to each group, or to the portion of each group comprised of certificate holders of such insurance who are residents of this state and who meet the criteria for testing as established by the Match Registry (the National Marrow Donor Program), coverage for laboratory fee expenses up to $150 arising from human leukocyte antigen testing, also referred to as histocompatibility locus antigen testing, for utilization in bone marrow transplantation. The testing shall be performed in a facility that is accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks or its successors, or the College of American Pathologists, or its successors, or any other national accrediting body with requirements that are substantially equivalent to or more stringent than those of the College of American Pathologists, and is licensed under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act of 1967, 42 U.S.C. section 263a, as amended. At the time of the new testing, the person tested shall complete and sign an informed consent form that also authorizes the results of the test to be used for participation in the National Marrow Donor Program and shall acknowledge a willingness to be a bone marrow donor if a suitable match is found.
II. In addition to paragraph I, the testing facility shall not bill, charge, collect a deposit from, seek payment or reimbursement from, or have recourse against a covered person or a person acting on behalf of the covered person for any portion of the laboratory fee expenses.

Legislative History

2006, 187:2. 2010, 188:13. 2011, 133:6, eff. Jan. 1, 2012.