Definition

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Legislation Signed into Law

2019

Primary Focus Mandated Benefit: Peer Support
Title/Description Peer Support Specialist Medicaid Coverage
Citation MCA §53-6-101
Summary Amends MCA §53-6-101 to make services provided by behavioral health peer support specialists eligible for Medicaid coverage.
Effective Date 7/1/2019
Notes

Enacted through S30

2017

Primary Focus Access to Services
Title/Description Coverage for services provided under freedom of choice for mental health services.
Citation 33-30-1020, MCA
Summary Group and individual insurance contracts shall provide coverage for health services provided by marriage and family therapists.
Effective Date 1/1/2019
Notes

Enacted by Mt. HB 469.
Primary Focus Access to Services
Title/Description Policies and certificates to provide for freedom of choice of practitioners — professional practice not enlarged.
Citation 33-22-111, MCA
Summary

All policies or certificates of disability insurance, including individual, group, and blanket policies or certificates, must provide that the insured has full freedom of choice in the selection of any psychologist, licensed social worker, licensed professional counselor, licensed addiction counselor, licensed marriage and family therapist for treatment of any illness or injury within the scope and limitations of the person’s practice.
Effective Date 1/1/2019
Notes

Amended by Mt. HB 469.
HB 142
Introduced 1/2017
Sponsor Rep. Bishop
Status Signed into Law 5/2017
Summary

Among other things, this bill changed the sections of the state’s insurance law related to behavioral health coverage:

  • It specifies that individual plans, small-group plans, and large-group plans should provide coverage for mental health conditions and substance use disorders in a way that is “no less favorable” than coverage for other medical conditions
  • It defines “no less favorable” as being what is specified in the Federal Parity Law and its final regulations on January 1, 2017, thereby maintaining parity protection in the individual and small-group market no matter what happens with efforts to amend the Affordable Care Act
  • It repeals the standalone section specifying certain coverage levels for serious mental illness and incorporates those conditions into the section regarding other mental illness and substance use disorders
  • It eliminates multiple restrictive annual and lifetime maximums alongs with limits on inpatient days and partial hospitalization

2013

Primary Focus Access to Services
Title/Description Coverage for telemedicine services.
Citation 33-22-138, MCA
Summary

Each group or individual policy, certificate of disability insurance, subscriber contract, membership contract, or health care services agreement that provides coverage for health care services must provide coverage for health care services provided by a health care provider or health care facility by means of telemedicine if the services are otherwise covered by the policy, certificate, contract, or agreement, including mental health centers.
Effective Date 4/5/2013
Notes

Amended by Mt. SB 270.

2009

SB 234
Sponsor Sen. Gillan
Status Signed into Law 4/2009
Summary Among other things, this bill added the autism section to the state’s insurance law. This section of the law is summarized at the bottom of this page.

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