Below is the relevant legislation related to parity that has been introduced during the current or recently adjourned legislative session. State parity legislation passed in any state since 2008 is usually designed to increase compliance with the federal law and to strengthen state laws.

Are we missing any passed or introduced legislation? Let us know at info@paritytrack.org.

Introduced Legislation

Regular Session In Recess
Governor's Deadline 7/9/2019

Primary Focus Parity: General
Title/Description Parity Work Group and Parity Requirement
Citation SB 889
Introduced 1/18/2019
Sponsor Sen. Kanuha (D), Sen. Rhoads (D)
Status Pending
Summary

SB 889 establishes a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity Working Group and outlines the duties and expectations of said group. Additionally, the bill amends Hawaii Revised Statutes Chaper 431M to reauthorize parity requirements for all individual and group accident and health or sickness insurance policies.

2018

Primary Focus Access to Services
Title/Description Study on impact of coverage for SUD treatment
Citation HB 1603
Introduced 1/2018
Sponsor Reps. Thielen, C. Lee, Mizuno, Morikawa, Nishimoto, Takumi
Status Dead
Summary
This bill requires an auditor to conduct a study on the impact of social and financial effects of requiring insurers to provide coverage for 6 months of inpatient and outpatient treatment for opioid dependence. The report on social impact will detail:
  • Extent the service is utilized, available, and the level of public demand for both service and coverage
  • Extent to which lack of coverage leads to inability to obtain care
  • Extent to which the care poses a financial hardship on the consumer when the coverage is not available
  • Impact of providing coverage (such as morbidity, mortality, quality of care, etc.) and impact of indirect costs and benefits of coverage

The report of financial impact of such coverage will include:

  • Extent coverage increased or decreased cost of treatment
  • Extend coverage may increase use of treatment or as an alternative for more expensive treatment
  • Extent insurer could be reasonable expected to raise premiums and administrative expenses
  • Impact on the total cost of healthcare

Primary Focus Mandated Benefit
Title/Description Mental health Services for victims of sexual violence
Citation SB 2342
Introduced 1/2018
Sponsor Sens. Tokuda, Baker, Chang, Dela Cruz, English, Inouye, Kidani, Kim, Shabukuro, Thielen, and Kehele and Reps. Evans, Belatti, Decoite, Fukumoto, Ichiyama, Learmont, Lopresti, Lowen, Luke, Matsumoto, McKelvey, Mizuno, Morikawa, Nakamura, Nishimoto, San Buenaventura, Takayama, Theielen, Tupola, Yamashita
Status Dead
Summary

This bill amends state law by requiring insurers to cover clinical victim support services by qualified mental health providers for victims of sexual violence and abuse who are diagnosed with mental disorders.

2015

HB 1108
Introduced 1/2015
Sponsor Reps. Belatti, Brower, Creagan, Hashem, Ing, Johanson, C. Lee, McKelvey, Mizuno, Morikawa, Saiki, Woodson, Evans
Status Dead 2/2015
Summary
This bill tried to add a section to the state insurance law about autism coverage similar to what is in the law currently (that section is summarized at the bottom of this page under “Hawaii Parity Law”, “Autism Coverage”). This bill would have required individual plans, small employer fully-insured plans, and large employer fully-insured plans to do the following:
  • Cover autism services through age 20
  • Cover $50,000 annual maximum and $300,000 lifetime maximum (these can be adjusted for inflation)
  • Cannot limit outpatient visits
  • Financial requirements for autism services must be the same as those used for other medical services
  • Define autism spectrum disorder as any pervasive developmental disorder or autistic disorder in the DSM
  • Cannot require a child who has been diagnosed according to criteria from a previous edition of the DSM to be reevaluated according to diagnostic criteria from the current edition of the DSM
  • Cover behavioral health treatment (applied behavior analysis ), pharmacy care, psychiatric care, psychological care, and therapeutic care (all of these are defined in the bill)

2014

HB 2225
Introduced 1/2014
Sponsor Reps. Creagan, Belatti, Hanohano, Lowen, Onishi, Tsuji
Status Dead 2/2014
Summary
This bill tried to add a section to the state insurance law about autism coverage similar to what is in the law currently (that section is summarized at the bottom of this page under “Hawaii Parity Law”, “Autism Coverage”). This bill would have required individual plans, small employer fully-insured plans, and large employer fully-insured plans to do the following:
  • Cover autism services through age 20
  • Cover $50,000 annual maximum and $300,000 lifetime maximum (these can be adjusted for inflation)
  • Cannot limit outpatient visits
  • Financial requirements for autism services must be the same as those used for other medical services
  • Define autism spectrum disorder as any pervasive developmental disorder or autistic disorder in the DSM
  • Cannot require a child who has been diagnosed according to criteria from a previous edition of the DSM to be reevaluated according to diagnostic criteria from the current edition of the DSM
  • Cover behavioral health treatment (applied behavior analysis ), pharmacy care, psychiatric care, psychological care, and therapeutic care (all of these are defined in the bill)
  • Have at least as many board-certified behavior analysts who have in-network status as psychologists with in-network status
HB 2174
Introduced 1/2014
Sponsor Many
Status Dead 2/2014
Summary
This bill tried to add a section to the state insurance law about autism coverage similar to what is in the law currently (that section is summarized at the bottom of this page under “Hawaii Parity Law”, “Autism Coverage”). This bill would have required individual plans, small employer fully-insured plans, and large employer fully-insured plans to do the following:
  • Cover autism services through age 20
  • Cover $50,000 annual maximum and $300,000 lifetime maximum (these can be adjusted for inflation)
  • Cannot limit outpatient visits
  • Financial requirements for autism services must be the same as those used for other medical services
  • Define autism spectrum disorder as any pervasive developmental disorder or autistic disorder in the DSM
  • Cannot require a child who has been diagnosed according to criteria from a previous edition of the DSM to be reevaluated according to diagnostic criteria from the current edition of the DSM
  • Cover behavioral health treatment (applied behavior analysis ), pharmacy care, psychiatric care, psychological care, and therapeutic care (all of these are defined in the bill)
  • Have at least as many board-certified behavior analysts who have in-network status as psychologists with in-network status
SB 2578
Introduced 1/2014
Sponsor Sens. Green, Baker, Chun, Oakland, Ruderman, Shimabukuro
Status Dead 1/2014
Summary
This bill tried to add a section to the state insurance law about autism coverage similar to what is in the law currently (that section is summarized at the bottom of this page under “Hawaii Parity Law”, “Autism Coverage”). This bill would have required individual plans, small employer fully-insured plans, and large employer fully-insured plans to do the following:
  • Cover autism services through age 5
  • Financial requirements for autism services must be the same as those used for other medical services
  • Define autism spectrum disorder as any pervasive developmental disorder or autistic disorder in the DSM
  • Cannot require a child who has been diagnosed according to criteria from a previous edition of the DSM to be reevaluated according to diagnostic criteria from the current edition of the DSM
  • Cover behavioral health treatment (applied behavior analysis )

2013

HB 721
Introduced 1/2013
Sponsor Reps. Kobayashi, Belatti, Morikawa
Status Dead 12/ 2013
Summary
This bill tried to add a section to the state insurance law about autism coverage similar to what is in the law currently (that section is summarized at the bottom of this page under “Hawaii Parity Law”, “Autism Coverage”). This bill would have required individual plans, small employer fully-insured plans, and large employer fully-insured plans to do the following:
  • Cover autism services through age 25
  • Cover $50,000 annual maximum (can be adjusted for inflation)
  • Cannot limit outpatient visits
  • Financial requirements for autism services must be the same as those used for other medical services
  • Define autism spectrum disorder as any pervasive developmental disorder or autistic disorder in the DSM
  • Cannot require a child who has been diagnosed according to criteria from a previous edition of the DSM to be reevaluated according to diagnostic criteria from the current edition of the DSM
  • Cover behavioral health treatment (applied behavior analysis ), pharmacy care, psychiatric care, psychological care, and therapeutic care (all of these are defined in the bill)
  • Have at least as many board-certified behavior analysts who have in-network status as psychologists with in-network status
SB 668
Introduced 1/2013
Sponsor Sens. Green, Ruderman, Nishihara, Shimabukuro
Status Dead 2/2014
Summary
This bill tried to add a section to the state insurance law about autism coverage similar to what is in the law currently (that section is summarized at the bottom of this page under “Hawaii Parity Law”, “Autism Coverage”). This bill would have required individual plans, small employer fully-insured plans, and large employer fully-insured plans to do the following:
  • Cover autism services through age 20
  • Cover $50,000 annual maximum and $300,000 lifetime maximum (these can be adjusted for inflation)
  • Cannot limit outpatient visits
  • Financial requirements for autism services must be the same as those used for other medical services
  • Define autism spectrum disorder as any pervasive developmental disorder or autistic disorder in the DSM
  • Cannot require a child who has been diagnosed according to criteria from a previous edition of the DSM to be reevaluated according to diagnostic criteria from the current edition of the DSM
  • Cover behavioral health treatment (applied behavior analysis ), pharmacy care, psychiatric care, psychological care, and therapeutic care (all of these are defined in the bill)
  • Have at least as many board-certified behavior analysts who have in-network status as psychologists with in-network status

2012

SB 2105 / HB 2406
Introduced 1/2012
Sponsor Sens. Green, Chun Oakland, Espero, Ihara and Rep. Yamane
Status Dead 3/2012
Summary
This bill tried to change a parity section of the state insurance law so that plans would have to provide behavioral health coverage that is “co-extensive” with other medical coverage. This bill also would have required the state to create a parity working group that would study how to best implement the Federal Parity Law in Hawaii, how the Affordable Care Act affects parity, and examine how the state can amend its laws to pursue parity regarding the following:
HB 2405
Introduced 1/2012
Sponsor Rep. C. Lee
Status Dead 1/2012
Summary
This bill tried to add a section to the state insurance law about autism coverage similar to what is in the law currently (that section is summarized at the bottom of this page under “Hawaii Parity Law”, “Autism Coverage”). This bill would have required individual plans, small employer fully-insured plans, and large employer fully-insured plans to do the following:
  • Cover autism (no age specified)
  • Cover $50,000 annual maximum (can be adjusted for inflation)
  • Cannot limit outpatient visits
  • Financial requirements for autism services must be the same as those used for other medical services
  • Can only review a child’s treatment plan once a year
  • Define autism spectrum disorder as any pervasive developmental disorder or autistic disorder in the DSM
  • Cover behavioral health treatment (applied behavior analysis ), pharmacy care, psychiatric care, psychological care, and therapeutic care (all of these are defined in the bill)
  • Have at least as many board-certified behavior analysts who have in-network status as psychologists with in-network status
SB 2603
Introduced 1/2012
Sponsor Sens. Chun, Oakland, Tokuda, Fukunaga, Galuteria, Kidani, Shimabukuro
Status Dead 12/2012
Summary
This bill tried to add a section to the state insurance law about autism coverage. This bill would have required individual plans, small employer fully-insured plans, and large employer fully-insured plans cover autism treatment through age 20. Autism spectrum disorder is defined as autistic disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, rett’s disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. The following were listed as treatments:
  • Psychiatric care
  • Psychological care
  • Therapeutic care
  • Pharmacy care
  • Rehabilitative care
  • Any treatment determined medically necessary by the Hawaii Department of Health
HB 2074
Introduced 1/2012
Sponsor Reps. Awana, Hanohano, Manahan, Mizuno, Evans, McKeivey
Status Dead 12/2012
Summary
This bill tried to add a section to the state insurance law about autism coverage. This bill would have required individual plans, small employer fully-insured plans, and large employer fully-insured plans cover autism treatment through age 20. Autism spectrum disorder is defined as autistic disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, rett’s disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. The following were listed as treatments:
  • Psychiatric care
  • Psychological care
  • Therapeutic care
  • Pharmacy care
  • Rehabilitative care
  • Any treatment determined medically necessary by the Hawaii Department of Health
SB 36 / HB 949
Introduced 1/ 2011
Sponsor Many (click link to see sponsors)
Status Dead 12/2011
Summary
This bill would have required the state to create a parity working group that would study how to best implement the Federal Parity Law in Hawaii, how the Affordable Care Act affects parity, and examine how the state can amend its laws to pursue parity regarding the following:
SB 731
Introduced 1/2011
Sponsor Sens. Green, Chun, Oakland, Espero, Shimabukuro, and Fukunaga
Status Dead 12/2011
Summary

Among other things, this bill tried to change an old section of the state insurance law related to parity so that it would apply to major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and borderline personality disorder. This section has since been repealed from the state insurance law (the current parity sections of the state insurance law are summarized at the bottom of this page under “Hawaii Parity Law”).

SB 744
Introduced 1/2011
Sponsor Sens. Espero, Shimabukuro, Chun, Oakland, Wakai
Status Dead 12/2011
Summary
This bill tried to add a section to the state insurance law about autism coverage similar to what is in the law currently (that section is summarized at the bottom of this page under “Hawaii Parity Law”, “Autism Coverage”). This bill would have required individual plans, small employer fully-insured plans, and large employer fully-insured plans to do the following:
  • Cover autism through age 25
  • Cover $50,000 annual maximum (can be adjusted for inflation)
  • Cannot limit outpatient visits
  • Financial requirements for autism services must be the same as those used for other medical services
  • Can only review a child’s treatment plan once a year
  • Define autism spectrum disorder as any pervasive developmental disorder or autistic disorder in the DSM
  • Cover behavioral health treatment (applied behavior analysis ), pharmacy care, psychiatric care, psychological care, and therapeutic care (all of these are defined in the bill)
HB 821
Introduced 1/2011
Sponsor Rep. C. Lee
Status Dead 12/2011
Summary
This bill tried to add a section to the state insurance law about autism coverage similar to what is in the law currently (that section is summarized at the bottom of this page under “Hawaii Parity Law”, “Autism Coverage”). This bill would have required individual plans, small employer fully-insured plans, and large employer fully-insured plans to do the following:
  • Cover autism (no age specified)
  • Cover $50,000 annual maximum (can be adjusted for inflation)
  • Cannot limit outpatient visits
  • Financial requirements for autism services must be the same as those used for other medical services
  • Can only review a child’s treatment plan once a year
  • Define autism spectrum disorder as any pervasive developmental disorder or autistic disorder in the DSM
  • Cover behavioral health treatment (applied behavior analysis ), pharmacy care, psychiatric care, psychological care, and therapeutic care (all of these are defined in the bill)

2009

SB 304
Introduced 1/2009
Sponsor Sen. Chun and Sen. Oakland
Status Dead 1/2009
Summary
This bill tried to change parity sections of the state insurance law. These sections have since been changed (these sections are summarized at the bottom of this page under “Hawaii Parity Law”). Here is how this bill would have changed these sections differently than what they are now:

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Common Violations

In seeking care or services, be aware of the common ways parity rights can be violated.