Report Title:

Health Insurance; Cancer Treatments

 

Description:

Requires health insurance providers to cover treatments for cancer.

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2423

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

relating to health.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The American Cancer Society reports that more than 559,650 people died last year in the United States from some form of cancer.  The legislature finds that last year, in Hawaii, 2,260 people died from a type of cancer.  The American Cancer Society also reports that approximately 1,440,920 new cases of cancer were diagnosed last year in the United States.  Last year in Hawaii, 6,020 new cases of cancer were diagnosed.  Cancers of the breast, colon and rectum, prostate, and lungs made up the majority of those new cases in this State.  The American Cancer Society also estimates that over ten million cancer survivors are alive today because of successful treatments.

     The legislature finds that it is important to ensure that health insurance providers cover all forms of necessary treatments for cancer cases in this State.  The purpose of this Act is to provide quality health care for Hawaii residents by requiring health insurance providers to include in their policies coverage for all forms of cancer treatments.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 431, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to article 10A to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§431:10A-    Cancer treatment.  Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, all individual and group accident and health or sickness insurance policies issued or renewed in this State on or after        , shall provide coverage for all available forms of necessary cancer treatments for the subscriber or any dependent of the subscriber who is covered by the policy."

     SECTION 3.  Chapter 432, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to article 1 to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§432:1-    Cancer treatment.  Each policy, contract, plan, or agreement shall provide coverage for all available forms of necessary cancer treatments for the subscriber or any dependent of the subscriber who is covered by the policy."

     SECTION 4.  Section 432D-23, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§432D-23  Required provisions and benefits.  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, each policy, contract, plan, or agreement issued in the State after January 1, 1995, by health maintenance organizations pursuant to this chapter, shall include benefits provided in sections 431:10-212, 431:10A-115, 431:10A-115.5, 431:10A-116, 431:10A-116.5, 431:10A-116.6, 431:10A-119, 431:10A-120, [and] 431:10A-121, 431:10A-  , and chapter 431M."

     SECTION 5.  The benefit to be provided by health maintenance organizations corresponding to the benefit provided under section 431:10A-   , Hawaii Revised Statutes, as contained in the amendment to section 432D-23, Hawaii Revised Statutes, in section 4 of this Act, shall take effect for all policies, contracts, plans, or agreements issued in the State after December 31, 2009.

     SECTION 6.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 7.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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