§ 27-18-62 — § 27-18-62. Mandatory coverage for certain lyme disease treatments.

§ 27-18-62. Mandatory coverage for certain lyme disease treatments.

Every individual or group hospital or medical expense insurance policy or individual or group hospital or medical services plan contract delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2004, shall provide coverage for diagnostic testing and long-term antibiotic treatment of chronic lyme disease when determined to be medically necessary and ordered by a physician acting in accordance with chapter 37.5 of title 5 entitled "lyme disease diagnosis and treatment� after making a thorough evaluation of the patient's symptoms, diagnostic test results, and response to treatment. Treatment otherwise eligible for benefits pursuant to this section shall not be denied solely because such treatment may be characterized as unproven, experimental, or investigational in nature. Provided, however, this section shall not apply to insurance coverage providing benefits for:

(1) Hospital confinement indemnity;

(2) Disability income;

(3) Accident only;

(4) Long-term care;

(5) Medicare supplement;

(6) Limited benefit health;

(7) Specified disease indemnity;

(8) Sickness or bodily injury or death by accident or both; and

(9) Other limited benefit policies.

Legislative History

P.L. 2003, ch. 113, § 3; P.L. 2003, ch. 114, § 3; P.L. 2004, ch. 34, § 2; P.L. 2004, ch. 35, § 2.